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The Green’s Ikaroa Rāwhiti candidate, Marama Davidson, is challenging the Government to explain why young Māori are more likely to be prosecuted when apprehended for crimes like theft than non-Māori.
Ms Davidson says the figures drawn together by youth justice organisation Just Speak point to institutionalised racism in the justice system that is stigmatising rangatahi Māori.
She says Ikaroa-Rāwhiti has some of the highest proportions of Māori youth involved with the justice system, with the Hastings and Gisborne Youth Courts among the busiest in the country.
The long time youth worker says it is a structural problem in the justice system where Police in particular have a culture that sees young Māori as more guilty.
She says rangatahi Māori are less likely to have the personal and family resources to articulate their situation confidently.
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