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Christian Heritage

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New Zealand prisons are full of people from dysfunctional family backgrounds. Recent local research shows over 65% of youth offenders came from homes without a father present. In light of this, our A-B-C policies to strengthen marriage and family life are key to addressing the underlying causes of crime.

Christian Heritage NZ also recognises that the current legal system needs to present a strong deterrent to crime and deliver justice to victims and criminals.

To this end Christian Heritage NZ will:

• Support longer sentences for violent crime and progressive sentencing to deter repeat offending, including deferred consideration of parole.
• Allow the families of homicide victims to make personal impact statements to the sentencing judge and direct representation at parole board hearings.
• Give greater emphasis to restitution rather than imprisonment for non-violent crime. Until restitution was paid offenders would lose their normal financial asset confidentiality.
• Partner with voluntary sector organisations that run restorative justice or rehabilitation programmes which have proven effective in reducing re-offending.
• Support a return to more community policing.

Communist Party of Aotearoa

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No specific Justice or Law and Order Policy could be located on the website at time of writing

Democrats

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We are advised that a policy is forthcoming - watch this space

The Democrats have long advocated for a multi-tiered approach to this issue with an emphasis on policies that address the economic drivers of crime, associated with policies on effective policing and deterrent sentencing. Other areas for consideration are policies that will break the intergenerational cycle of offending and provide (mandatory?) education and budgeting for the individuals and families involved in crime. We recognise the scope of the problem and accept the need to address it effectively.

Direct Democracy

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Justice & Crime

We must at all times be wary of pushing our own morals on others in the form of legislation where such an action violates the principles of freedom and liberty. Our aim is to establish the principal rights of life, freedom, property and the pursuit of happiness in our new NZ Constitution.

A great number of people called for tougher sentencing for criminals which fell on deaf ears. We will introduce a much tougher sentencing regime for the perpetrators of all criminal acts including the "white collar" crimes of fraud and corporate theft. We believe that punishments must fit the crime. Direct Democracy will introduce the Victims of Crimes Act to ensure that the victims of crimes are remunerated and compensated for their loss where possible from the perpetrators assets. (See another Direct Democracy initiative below in an amendment to the current "Proceeds of Crime Act ")

We believe that the public must show offenders defective behaviour will not be tolerated in a civil society and such behaviour will incur a penalty reflective of the will of the public. Therefore the right of "habeas corpus" and "trial by jury" will become enshrined in our proposed new Constitution as a means of safeguarding people from systemic use of unbridled power.

We also believe that in the absence of a crime there can be no charge laid. Under common-sense common-law principles there will be no more state "infringements" and "summary judgements" being forced upon the public in the quest for revenue. The function of the District Court will be altered, so no longer can it act as a Court of process and procedure whereby finding guilt where no crime has taken place.

Heinous Crimes and Drug trafficking Crimes:

Such crimes committed by migrants, be they legal or illegal, will attract the severest of penalties and will be regarded as akin to a treasonous act against the law abiding people of New Zealand. There will be no provision for appeal against the deportation of such persons to their former country or their former port of embarkation which ever applies. It will be up to the Court and the Jury to decide if such persons are to serve a custodial sentence in New Zealand at great cost to the taxpayer or simply be deported without any proceeds of their crimes. When such crimes are committed by New Zealand citizens they will face the full force of the Law and be required to serve their full sentence.

The Direct Democracy Party will amend the "Proceeds of Crime Act" enabling the Government on behalf of the victims of such crimes to seize all of the criminal's assets and distribute them in a fair and proper manner to the victims. This is unlike other countries whereby the proceeds of crime are kept by the State.

New Zealand Police Force:

Direct Democracy will work to make the NZPF a rewarding professional career by giving our hard working police every assistance support and the best tools, training and technology suitable for their work. We will work very hard to ensure the behaviour of the NZPF personnel meets and/or exceeds the expectations of the public and not use them as petty revenue gatherers. Corruption & bullying in the NZPF will not be tolerated and advancement will be entirely on merit.

Because New Zealand has a large Polynesian population, the NZPF will encourage Polynesian people to apply to become officers with the emphasis on developed an approach to policing to address New Zealand's unique type of racial problems.

Destiny

Law and Order Policy and a seperate Justice Policy.

Law and Order

A healthy respect for self, people and property begins firstly in the home. Fatherless children are more likely to enter into criminal and anti-social behaviour than children raised in marriage-centred families - hence the Destiny New Zealand Family Policy to strengthen families. The New Zealand Government has a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and provide protection for our communities - this is achieved through a credible and well-resourced Police Department.

Positional Statements

• A healthy respect for self, people and property begins in the home
• Destiny New Zealand supports the concept of "Zero tolerance for Crime" (What good is law if you are not prepared to enforce it?)
• Government must provide adequate resources to uphold the rule of law

Policy Statements

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Seek to increase police frontline staff by 1,300 with an immediate injection of 550 new staff, to achieve parity with other western nation police to population ratios
2. Ensure Police have sufficient budget resource with flexibility to allocate that resource according to frontline demands
3. Pursue measures to recover experienced police officers in roles of serious crime investigation, response, training and mentoring
4. Pursue greater powers in dealing with juvenile offenders (Powers of arrest and detention for investigative purposes)
5. Review the benefits of having a joint Traffic and Police Department, with a view to returning to separate Police and Traffic Departments

Organised Crime

Destiny New Zealand considers 'organised crime' to be the invisible giant behind volume crime such as crimes of burglary, violence and dishonesty offences.

Policy Statements

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Launch a Commission of Enquiry to examine organised crime with a view to establishing a national strategy to confront organised crime and the drug trade epidemic head on
2. Support 'asset seizure' legislation (Proceeds of Crime Bill) to seize assets from people who have benefited directly or indirectly from crime
3. Support longer sentences for convictions of trafficking methamphetamines and precursors

Justice

The New Zealand Justice system is struggling to cope with mounting criminal cases requiring resolution. Justice must not just be done - but be 'seen' to be done. The New Zealand Government has a responsibility to provide a system that delivers justice without undue delay to maintain public confidence and deter future offending. Ultimately, the demands on our criminal Justice system will continue to increase until we tackle the root issues that primarily emerge out of broken homes and detrimental home environments - hence the Destiny New Zealand dedicated Family Policy.

Positional Statements

1. Principles of Justice begin firstly in the home
2. Justice must not just be done, but be 'seen' to be done
3. Genuine accountability for lawlessness must be upheld as a deterrent to society therefore sentencing must accurately reflect the seriousness of the crime

Policy Statements

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Foster principles of justice by empowering the family unit and by implementing 'character' based education in schools (See Education)
2. Pursue sentencing that more accurately reflects the seriousness of the crime
3. Pursue stringent bail and parole conditions for sex and violent offenders, with a view to non-parole for repeat offenders of serious violence and sexual crimes
4. Oppose any attempt to legalise cannabis and any other Class C Controlled Drug, and increase penalties for supply of class A - C drugs, and alcohol to minors

Repeals and Amendments

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Raise the legal drinking age back to 20 years
2. Repeal the Prostitution Act

The Family Court

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Pursue greater transparency in the Family Court system, with a focus on restoration of families where possible, instead of separation as a default solution for conflict
2. Pursue 'shared parenting' as the goal where restoration is not possible

Prisons

Destiny New Zealand will:

1. Investigate the benefits of a centralised prison for long-term inmates, gang members and recidivist offenders to separate from first-time inmates, thereby providing a greater chance of rehabilitation of first-time inmates