Q&A: Crime Matters
Are you worried that crime seems to be through the roof and don’t know what to do about it? Concerned that violent offenders don’t seem to be held to account?
Join criminologist and AUT lecturer Grace Gordon find out why crime matters.
Q: Is crime actually increasing in New Zealand?
Crime rates fluctuate month to month, but the long-term trend for most categories has been stable or decreasing. Only about a quarter of crimes are reported each year, so statistics often reflect reporting behaviour rather than real changes. Media and politicians frequently amplify short-term shifts to support political narratives.
Q: Do we actually have a lot of people in prison?
Yes—more than in the past. Policy changes in the 1990s and 2000s resulted in more and longer sentences. By 2018, the prison population exceeded 10,000, dropped during COVID-19, and is now rising again. Around one in every 550 New Zealanders is currently in prison. Tougher-on-crime policies and expanded prison capacity mean these numbers are likely to climb.
Q: Who are the people in our prisons?
Key statistics: 93% male; a third aged 30–39; 53% Māori; 43% on remand; over half low or minimum security. People in prison are more likely to have experienced violence, mental health or substance disorders, and lower educational achievement. Māori are disproportionately impacted due to colonisation, systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and the state-care-to-prison pipeline.
Q: How much does imprisonment cost?
It costs more than $150,000 per person per year to keep someone in prison. The government has committed $1.9 billion toward prisons, with only 4% for rehabilitation. Social costs include loss of income and connection for families, impacts on children, and higher re-offending rates due to poor rehabilitation environments.
Q: Does being tough on crime make people think twice before committing crime?
No. Evidence shows tough-on-crime policies do not deter offending. Many people who commit crime are dealing with mental health struggles, survival pressures, or substance use. High re-offending rates also show harsher sentencing is ineffective.
Q: What are the consequences of being tough on crime?
These policies funnel marginalised communities into the 'criminal punishment system,' which fails to deliver justice. It isolates people, entrenches disadvantage, and creates cycles of harm that result in more victims.
Q: Why are tough-on-crime policies so popular?
They appeal to emotions like fear, anger, and a desire for retribution. Media and social media coverage can make violent crime feel widespread. Politicians then use crime as a 'political football.'
Q: Is there a better way?
A care-based approach centred on humanity and relationships: reducing inequality, ensuring livable wages, addressing intergenerational trauma, and responding in trauma-informed ways. Inclusion reduces the likelihood of crime.
Q: Can we afford a care-based approach?
Yes — and it’s cheaper long-term. New Zealand spends about $2 billion on prisons each year. Preventing crime early is more effective and economical than later rehabilitation inside prison.
Q: What about victims? Don’t they want offenders punished?
Victims deserve justice, but the current system often silences or retraumatises them. No level of punishment can erase harm. A more restorative system would give victims a stronger voice and better support.
Q: Aren’t some people just bad and need to be punished?
People who commit serious harm often have underlying experiences or conditions. 'Hurt people hurt people.' Punishment removes people but does not foster accountability. True accountability is collaborative and more effective.
Q: If people who commit crime aren’t in prison, doesn’t that put me at risk?
A small number of people need secure management, but this can be humane and rehabilitative. Low-level offenders often escalate after prison due to stigma and returning to harmful conditions. This increases risk.
Q: What about people who say prison helped them?
Some say prison removed them from harmful environments or drugs. But this highlights systemic failure — people should not need to commit crime to receive help.
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