NCJ Number
204430
Date Published
2003
Length
104 pages
Annotation
The New Zealand Ministry of Justice presents its Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003.
Abstract
The two key roles of the Ministry are to provide advice and services to government on justice-related issues and to provide leadership in the justice sector of the Nation's life. The Ministry had a role in the passage of eight justice-related acts during the 2002/2003 legislative session. They pertained to victims' rights, terrorism suppression, claims settlements for indigenous people, criminal liability for Crown organizations, and prostitution reform. The Ministry also released the second National Survey of Crime Victims, indicating that victimization levels in New Zealand have stabilized since the increases of the late 1980's and early 1990's. More deeds of settlement and settlement acts pertaining to indigenous people were completed in 2002/2003 than in any other year. The Ministry coordinates the government's crime-reduction strategy. In so doing, it has established a Youth Justice team to lead work across agencies in implementing the youth-offending strategy issued in April 2002. The Ministry is responsible for coordinating and reporting on progress in implementing the strategy. This work has focused on building leadership and coordination in the youth justice sector. The Ministry has also made contributions in reducing the level of organized criminal activity in New Zealand. This has included negotiating and implementing a range of transnational organized crime conventions and protocols. The Ministry's work to counter family violence over the past year has focused on implementing Te Rito -- the New Zealand Family Violence Prevention Strategy and the Family Violence funding Circuit Breaker. These efforts have involved the promotion of a high level of cross-sector commitment to and consistency in family violence prevention and the monitoring and implementation of Te Rito. Performance information for the year includes financial information and the Report of the Auditor-General. This report also contains a Ministry organization chart, a list of publications issued, a list of acts administered, and contact information.