A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions: reforming remand in prison
Explore new research on custodial remand in Aotearoa New Zealand and what it reveals about the challenges and opportunities for meaningful justice reform.
The Lecretia Seales Memorial Lecture in Law Reform will be delivered by Te Herenga Waka's Centre for Justice Innovation.
Many countries have seen a rise in the number of people remanded in custody and in the amount of time they remain in custody prior to trial or sentence. In Aotearoa New Zealand, this has become a problem of some urgency: as of September 2025, remand prisoners were 41% of the onsite prison population, two thirds of whom were awaiting trial.
In this lecture, Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation will draw on their recent large-scale qualitative study of custodial remand to illustrate the complexity of addressing criminal justice problems through law and policy reform.
Reflecting on the whakatauki: “I orea te tuatara ka puta ki waho”, the team will explain why its recommendations for reform represent the first steps in a longer journey to reduce the use of custodial remand and address its impacts on detainees, complainants, and their whānau. This approach has broader implications for justice innovation and reform, signalling the importance of continual evaluation and change, and a resilient approach to finding solutions to justice-related problems.
Please join us for refreshments from 5 pm. Followed by the lecture in GBLT1, starting at 6 pm.
About Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation
Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation offers an independent, impartial, and trusted voice on justice issues through multidisciplinary research, evaluation, and education and is grateful for funding received from the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation.
They aim to address calls for change in how justice is delivered in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation provides an evidence base for informed debate and delivers innovations in both specific justice reforms and broader innovations in thinking and practice. Their focus is to improve outcomes and experiences for defendants and complainants in the criminal justice system.