Victoria University Psychology Professor appointed to new governmental justice advisory group
Victoria University of Wellington Psychology Professor Tony Ward has been appointed to the Safe and Effective Justice Programme Advisory Group - Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora, a new advisory group for the Ministry of Justice.
Minister of Justice Andrew Little announced the formation of the group at a press conference at Parliament today.
The group is comprised of eight members from across New Zealand who will “work alongside Justice Sector agencies on a prudent and realistic scope for effective criminal justice reform.”
"This Government believes New Zealand should be the best place in the world to live and raise a family. Our justice system must play its part in that. We are determined to confront the challenges with a hope and belief that we can and should do better for whanau and communities today, and for future generations,” says Andrew Little.
“This is a really exciting initiative,” says Professor Ward. “It is an opportunity to have a major influence on the way New Zealand’s criminal justice system works, including punishments, probation, prisons, and rehabilitation, for the next twenty years.”
The advisory group is part of a wider initiative to review New Zealand’s justice system that will also include a Criminal Justice Summit later this year.
Victoria University of Wellington Senior Law Lecturer Dr Carwyn Jones is also a member of the advisory group.