Prison statistics set new records

The ethnic makeup of New Zealand’s new intakes of prisoners has set new records.

Maori now make up a higher proportion of all new prisoners than at any time in recorded history.

Ministry of Justice figures released last week showed 56.3 per cent of people jailed last year were Maori — the highest proportion since records were available from 1980. The proportion of Europeans imprisoned has fallen below 30 per cent of the total for the first time.

In the past decade, there has been a significant drop in the number of people convicted in court. At its peak in 2009, around 100,000 people were sentenced. Last year, that figure had fallen to fewer than 65,000 — a 35 per cent drop. However, the number of people imprisoned has not reflected the decrease in convictions.

Compared to 2009, there was just a 9 per cent fall in the number of people sent to jail. Proportionally, those convicted in 2016 were 40 per cent more likely to be jailed than those convicted in 2009.

Auckland University senior law lecturer Khylee Quince said New Zealand courts were “incredibly harsh on people”.

“About half of people in prison in New Zealand are there for property and drug offending. Very few Western nations send people to prison for those types of offences.”

Quince said she was not surprised at the rates of Maori imprisonment. She attributed the higher imprisonment rate to a number of factors.

“The number one thing the judge is looking for is prior offending and risk of future offending,” Quince said. “... I still think there would be an element of systemic bias.”

Justice Minister Amy Adams said tackling overrepresentation of Maori in the justice system was a priority and an ongoing concern.

“While there has been a significant reduction in total crime . . . these reductions have not been as large for Maori when compared to nonMaori.”