New research centres rangatahi voices to identify transformative justice approaches
MEDIA RELEASE
14th March 2025 - New research by Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand (AIANZ) and JustSpeak has been released today, sharing the stories of rangatahi with lived experience of the justice system.
A summary of the report ‘If I was Prime Minister: Insights and experiences of rangatahi in the Aotearoa New Zealand justice system’ highlights key issues from conversations with rangatahi, and the people supporting them, and identifies necessary responses to transform justice approaches for lasting change. These conversations revealed how systems fail rangatahi, often sending them down a path that not only doesn’t support them, but can also trap them in a lifelong cycle.
"So much of what we heard relates to questions of power, decisions made that have profound life-long impacts on rangatahi, their whānau and us all,” says Lisa Woods, Movement Building & Advocacy Director for AIANZ.
“What we heard from rangatahi was the need to invest in prevention. Youth offending doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Many concerns as well as opportunities were raised; from poverty, hunger, homelessness, family-life hardship, and disengagement from school to peers and the importance of relationships.”
The research was initiated after the last election campaign, where political rhetoric and media reports on ram raids often failed to include experiences and insights from the young people involved.
“Too often conversations about rangatahi in the justice system are led by politicians and media, who do not necessarily reflect the experiences of young people,” says Kelsey Lee, Senior Campaigner for JustSpeak.
“By centering the voices of rangatahi and others who work with them, we hope to inform the national conversation and strengthen policy responses currently occurring in the youth justice space. Rangatahi insights are critical to understanding what effective long-term change looks like.”
Three critical areas have emerged from the research, which JustSpeak and Amnesty agree require urgent investment; overcoming hardship and traumatic life experiences, addressing problems accessing education, and the importance of positive relationships and consistent interpersonal support.
A summary of findings has been released today, with the full report available in due course.
-ENDS-
Media Contacts:
Kelsey Lee, Senior Campaigner, JustSpeak
kelsey@justspeak.org.nz
Lisa Woods, Movement Building & Advocacy Director, Amnesty International Aotearoa NZ
lisa.woods@amnesty.org.nz
Additional Information
Amnesty International is a global movement that mobilises the humanity in everyone so that we can all live with care and respect for each other. We campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Amnesty International is independent of any political ideology, economic interest or religion. No government is beyond scrutiny. No situation is beyond hope.
JustSpeak is a people-powered movement for transformational change of the criminal justice system towards a fair, just and flourishing Aotearoa. We work to achieve long-term, systemic change by shifting government and societal focus and resources away from police, punishment and prisons toward prevention, restoration, whānau and community well-being and care. Since 2011 we’ve been building the power, capacity and potential of people to realise our vision.