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Archived Press Releases 2007 14th May 2007

Sensible Sentencing Trust appoints Maori Crime Issues Specialist

(14th May 2007)

Kelly Te Heuheu is direct blood descendent of the arikinui (Chief) lineage of Ngati Tuwharetoa iwi (tribe) of Lake Taupo.

She is mother to four grown up daughters and grandmother to seven Mokopuna (grandchildren).

Academically she was well educated in Catholic schools, colleges, Auckland and Massey University.

Since 1995 she has studied Maori Land and the legal environment culminating with political and social issues affecting Maori and the wider community.

She has achieved training in all aspects of investigation services with a diploma in 2003 and is now senior investigator for Maori Land Investigation and Research Unit Taupo.

She lived in Auckland for over twenty years and for ten years worked in a support and advisory role for gang women and youth she also involved herself in a voluntary capacity for Women's Refuge.

She worked a school Term in 2006 as Truancy Officer and resigned because of frustration due to lack of funding to deliver the expected outcomes she intended to achieve.

Kellys involvement with 'Sensible Sentencing Trust' trust was driven by the kaupapa(work) of the trust and that it provides an active vehicle; a team of dedicated people with a unified voice with determination and commitment working hard to ensure New Zealanders and international visitors have safety and security to go about our everyday life rightfully deserved.

"I feel as Maori we have a responsibility to be active in this kaupapa because of the high rate of Maori offenders. I would like to see Maori people take a stand that says enough is enough and have zero tolerance to crime."

"Another reason why I turned to Sensible Sentencing Trust was that I almost moved to Australia with other members of my whanau who have left because of the danger in the community and the negative influences. They lived in fear for their tamariki and mokopuna because of the escalating crime. Instead I have decided to stay and join this kaupapa with Sensible Sentencing trust."

"I now call out to our people to "COME TODAY" to join us for the sake of our whenua our people our tamariki and mokopuna"

HERE IS OUR REALITY...

NZ CRIME CLOCK...

• there is 1 burglary every 9 minutes
• a car is stolen every 10 minutes
• there are 5 robberies every day
• there are 8 grievous assaults every day
• there are 55 sexual attacks every day
• there are 10 sexual offences every day
• there are 120 Homicides a year

        Source: NZ Police Statistics for 2002

WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO STOP THE CRIME CLOCK TICKING!!!

Criminal Justice data shows that Maori are over-represented at every stage of the Criminal Justice process. In 1998 they were 3.3 times more likely to be apprehended for a criminal offence than non-Maori. They were more likely to be prosecuted, more likely to be convicted, and more likely to be sentenced to imprisonment. The result was that Maori made up 14 percent of the general population and 51 percent of the prison population. Today these gaps are widening, not narrowing.

Victims support statistics show there are 1.7 million victims of crime per annum in New Zealand

Regards,

Kelly Te Heuheu
Sensible Sentencing Trust
Maori Issues Spokesperson,
Aotearoa