Justice system overhaul underway.
The New Zealand Government has passed sentencing reforms aimed at restoring real consequences for crime. According to Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, the changes will see serious criminals spending longer in prison.
Key reforms include capping sentence discounts at 40 per cent, preventing lenient sentences for repeat offenders who rely on youth or remorse without making efforts to reform their behavior. A new aggravating factor has been introduced to address retail crimes committed against sole charge workers and those with interconnected homes and businesses. Cumulative sentencing will be used to denounce behavior indicating disregard for the criminal justice system.
A sliding scale for early guilty pleas will also be implemented, reducing sentence discounts for late-stage pleas. The principles of sentencing have been amended to take into account victims' interests, as committed in both coalition agreements.
Two aggravating factors respond to adults who exploit children and young people by aiding or abetting them to offend, and offenders who glorify their crimes through livestreaming or posting online. The Government aims to reduce the number of violent crime victims by 20,000 and serious repeat youth offending by 15 per cent by 2029.
The sentencing reforms signal a significant milestone in the Government's mission to restore law and order and prioritize justice for victims.