Abstract:
From a critical perspective, this thesis explores issues regarding community and ‘conflict ownership’ within New Zealand’s informal justice practices. This research primarily seeks to understand the process and philosophies of formal justice, restorative justice, and community justice in New Zealand. The second and third aims of this research are to explore what the term ‘community’ means for different justice providers, and to consider who 'owns' conflict within different justice practices. To fulfil these aims, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted within three New Zealand cities (and one through skype) with academics and restorative and community justice facilitators. Much like the previous literature, this thesis highlights justice being used as a ‘muscle of colonisation’ to continually marginalise Indigenous peoples. This thesis has also found that there are complexities and confusions around definitions of community within restorative and community justice practices. Finally, this thesis argues that New Zealand’s restorative and community justice practices are wedded to the state’s requirements which results in a significant amount of state ownership and control. Overall, this thesis adds to the current critical New Zealand and international literature regarding restorative and community justice practices.