SENTENCING ACT 2002

PAROLE ACT 2002

These two acts replace the Criminal Justice Act 1985. The result of a Government commitment to review current sentencing and parole regimes, they reform New Zealand's criminal justice law across four key areas:

• general sentencing purposes and principles

• range of sentences and orders available to the courts

• sentencing for murder and high risk offenders

• parole and final release of offenders from prison.

1. Objectives of the legislation
   
2. How does the legislation respond to the 1999 Referendum on Criminal Justice?
   
3. How does the legislation provide for a greater clarity, consistency and transparency in sentencing legislation?
   
4. General purposes and principles
   
5. How does the legislation rationalise community-based and other sentences?
   
6. Home Detention
   
7. How much does it cost to keep someone in prison for a year?
   
8. How does the legislation address current inconsistencies in the proportion of a custodial sentence that must be served?
   
9. How will the legislation improve the parole decision-making?
   
10. Decisions of the New Zealand Parole Board
    
11. Situation for inmates serving custodial sentences at commencement date of new legislation
    
12. Implications of Legislation