The Too-hard Basket Maori and Criminal Justice Since 1980

Maori society and all of New Zealand bear a heavy cost from criminal offending. Maori are particularly at risk of offending and of victimisation. There are many influences on society that underlie this problem, both historical and contemporary. So far, New Zealand governments have not been able tackle the issue. Many would argue that through the lack of policy and effective implementation, the government itself has been a contributory factor. The forces of history and current upheavals in state sector management have come together and the lack of recent institutional memory has impeded a concerted effort to address the problem through working with Maori. This study looks at the recent history of Maori and criminal justice from the perspective of government policy and management, and discusses some of the barriers to change and progress that this reveals. It argues that progress will be difficult unless attention is paid to management issues, to consistent policy direction and to bringing the debate away from generalisation and position taking to consideration of concrete issues and practical responses including enduring working relationships with Maori to address the problems.