New Zealand has one of the highest prison populations per capita in the developed world.
In this Local Focus video, we asked three Bay of Plenty candidates if we have gone too far with law and order?
"Not from my perspective at all," National's Todd Muller said.
"If you find yourself on the wrong side of the justice system because of what you've done there's got to be a consequence."
Labour candidate Angie Warren-Clarke says there's been a "well-recognised bias" in our system.
"I'm not going to say we're hard on crime but what we are wanting to do is change the social structure of society so that people don't turn to crime – they have other options."
NZ First candidate Tricia Lawrence said we haven't gone too far but, "rather than being an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff it's about getting to people before it gets to that stage".
Also standing in the Bay of Plenty electorate:
• Pete Huggins for the Greens
• Bruce Carley for Act
• Christopher Coker for Legalise Cannabis
• Angela Moncur for Advance NZ
• Margaret Colmore for New Conservative
• Sharon Devery for ONE
• Chris Jenkins The Opportunities Party
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Deputy Political Editor Thomas Coughlan interviews Americans on the streets of Philadelphia ahead of next week’s election. Video / NZ Herald