February 27, 2020
Charging rate shows police bias
Justice reform advocacy group Just Speak says the police's own figures show structural bias in policing continues to disproportionately harm Māori.
It says Māori who have no Police record or known contact with the justice system are 1.8 times more likely than Pakeha to have a first police proceeding against them, and 7 times more likely to be charged.
Director Tania Sawicki Mead says the research backs up calls from Māori communities have for cross-Government action to address bias and uphold the integrity of the justice system.
She says all the community will all benefit from redirecting resources towards the real drivers of harm, including poverty, lack of support for mental health and addiction, and exclusion from education.
Just Speak is calling for Te Pae Oranga iwi justice panels to be expanded across Aotearoa, with more funding for the community services that panels refer people to.
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