Simplicity and trust the basis of community justice model

JUSTICE: Roger Kemp, who co-ordinates the Christchurch community justice panel, explained how the panel worked and what it could do for Rotorua. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Anyone who has a role in the community, such as church, sport or service group, would be a suitable member for a community justice panel, according to the co-ordinator of New Zealand's first such panel.

Two public meetings were held at Rotorua Lakes Council yesterday to explain how the proposed panel would work and how people could be part of it.

Roger Kemp, the co-ordinator for the Christchurch panel, was guest speaker, along with Jane Troughton - who is setting up a similar panel in Auckland - and representatives from the Rotorua Community Law Centre and police.

The community justice panel will deal with people who have been given three pre-charge warnings, as a means to avoid them having to go through the court process.

Inspector Anaru Pewhairangi, district manager for community, Maori and youth, said an average of eight warnings were given a week in Rotorua.

The panel is a problem-solving approach to understanding why people offend - then helping them get on the straight and narrow.

Mr Kemp told around 65 attendees at the first meeting that it was about community, simplicity and trust.

"There's trust among the panel, trust from the victim they're going to have their needs satisfied, trust in the offender they're going to co-operate and trust from the offender they will be treated in a fair and appropriate manner," he said.

There were no set qualifications required, other than that people on the panel should already have some kind of role in their community.

Panels would be made up of people from the community where the offender lived.

Maureen Jehly said she was interested to hear how the panels would work.

"I'm very interested in social justice in all its forms," she said.

"I think this is a valuable initiative, especially for dispossessed people."

Maori Wardens consultant Ruka Hughes said he thought the panels could make a difference.

"I came to listen to see if it will make a difference to the community and I think it will," he said.

The next stage is to form a steering committee and devise operation guidelines pertinent to Rotorua.

"There's clearly a recognition that this would be good to adapt to Rotorua's needs," said Community Law Centre manager Ellie Herbert.