Iwi community justice panels reduce harm from re‐offending

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effect of iwi community justice panels is assessed using data from seven years of implementation. Panel participants of 1013 are compared to a control group drawn from 73,000 offenders charged with similar offences and propensity‐matched by age, gender, ethnicity, offending history and location. The dependent measure is re‐harm from offending calculated using the NZ Crime Harm Index. Panel participants did not reduce their rate of offending compared to matched controls. However, there is a significant reduction in harm from post‐panel offending, on average by 26.9 ± 21.05 equivalised prison days. The relative reduction is 22.25% of the harm committed by matched controls. Iwi panels are an effective alternative justice resolution. Panel participants are found to re‐offend with minor offences and thus any focus on rates of offending would miss the complexity of the restorative justice process that reduces the harm of re‐offending.