Rangatahi Court wins award for judicial excellence
1 July 2016
The Rangatahi Court has received the 2015 Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Award (AIJA) for Excellence in Judicial Administration.
Courts and Justice Minister Amy Adams said this award recognises the significant collaboration between courts and communities to help young New Zealanders turn their lives around.
The Rangatahi Courts are part of a suite of initiatives that have reduced offending by young Māori since 2009. In 2015, over 1000 fewer Māori aged 12 to 16 appeared in the Youth Court compared to 2009 – a reduction of 47 per cent.
The Rangatahi Courts address offending by young Māori by involving communities in the youth justice process and encouraging strong cultural links. The Court creates an environment where young people are supported by their whānau, kuia and kaumātua, to take ownership of their offending.
The initiative is also gaining international recognition. Initial research suggests in the following year, participants committed 14 per cent fewer offences and were 11 per cent less likely to commit new offences.
There are now fourteen Rangatahi Courts in New Zealand and two Pasifika Courts. Between January 2009 and April 2016, 1434 young people attended family group conference plans monitored in Rangatahi Courts, and 361 in Pasifika Courts.
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