Drivers of Crime Ministerial Meeting

This Ministerial Meeting marks a new approach to reducing offending and victimisation. It focuses on addressing the underlying drivers of crime, rather than just the criminal justice system's response to it.

The first step in this new approach is to bring together those involved in preventing and dealing with crime to agree on the underlying drivers of crime, and which have the most impact on crime.

Over 100 people covering a broad range of viewpoints will be attending to hear each other's perspectives and develop a shared understanding of the most significant drivers of crime in our communities.

The benefits of this new approach may be long term but they will be significant, resulting in less crime, safer communities, and fewer victims.

We look forward to your contributions to the discussion.

Ministers' opening and closing remarks

• Opening remarks: Hon Simon Power


• Opening remarks: Dr Pita Sharples

Summary of Professor Poulton's presentation (click link)

Proceedings (click link)

Background Reading Material 

Below are a series of Strategic Policy Briefs that provide background information for the Drivers of Crime meeting on Friday 3 April 2009.

Each brief focuses on a specific theme that has formed part of the debate around the drivers of crime. These are for background reading only and by no means provide an exhaustive picture of the literature surrounding the drivers of crime.

• Risk Factors and Causal Mechanisms for offending


• Biological risk factors for involvement in crime


• Social risk factors for involvement in crime


• Theories of the causes of crime


• Māori over-representation in the criminal justice system


• Māori at risk of Crime, Some Factors


• Major Trends in Criminal Justice and their Cumulative Effect

Guest speaker - Professor Richie Poulton "Drivers of Crime: What can the evidence tell us"?

The guest speaker for the meeting will be Professor Richie Poulton focussing specifically on the "Drivers of Crime: What can the evidence tell us"?

• Bio and photo of Professor Poulton

Summary of Proceedings

• For post-meeting publication

Contact Us: If anyone has any questions, please email driversofcrime@justice.govt.nz