Pacific Peoples Representation in Corrections

• Pacific offenders currently make up 11 per cent of the prison population, and 9 per cent of the community offender population
• In comparison to Māori or European prisoners, there is a slightly higher proportion of Pacific prisoners serving sentences for violent and sexual offences
• On the other hand, as a group, Pacific offenders have a lower average risk of reconviction than do Māori or European offenders
• Pacific peoples comprised between 6 per cent and 9 per cent of all youth apprehensions over the 1995 to 2006 period.

When we look closer at the breakdown of Pacific prisoners, we see that in most cases their proportions are similar to their representation in the population.  The only exceptions are Niueans who are under-represented in prison and Tongans and Cook Islanders who are slightly over-represented.