Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation.

“Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in prisons. There is no denying that our criminal justice system is institutionally racist and unfit for purpose in Aotearoa,” said spokesperson for justice, Tākuta Ferris.

“Māori suffer unequal outcomes at every level of the criminal justice system. Despite being only 20% of the total population, we are half of the prison population. Three Strikes perpetuates punishment, not justice.”

“With Three Strikes, Māori and Pasifika received over 50% of the strikes, 63% of those with a second strike were Māori, and 82% of people who received a third strike sentence were Māori.”

“Policy needs to be informed by evidence. That evidence shows that three strikes neither reduces crime nor assists with rehabilitation. To date, the government have failed to provide any evidence to the contrary.”

“We cannot imprison poverty and trauma out of our society. Intelligent policy, early intervention, and rehabilitation are essential for creating a just society. Punishment is not justice.”

“Justice in Aotearoa can only work when tangata whenua assert our tino rangatiratanga to oversee our own tikanga-based models of restorative justice.”

“If the government’s goal is to put more Māori, Pacific Islanders, and poor people in prison, this bill will succeed. It is not a bill that will reduce crime in this country,” said Ferris.

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