As with any new initiative, there is the risk of unintended outcomes. One unintended outcome of PCWs could be “net-widening”, or targeting of persons Police may have once dealt with more leniently (e.g., unruly persons being arrested instead of asked to move along). This would result in an increase in recorded offences. In 2012, a 5% reduction in the 16 offences for which PCWs were most commonly issued suggested “net-widening” is unlikely to be occurring.

Fewer offenders of Māori descent are offered PCWs than others. The main reason for this is that Māori tend to have higher levels of previous offending. To address this, Police is piloting an enhanced initiative, aimed at Māori offenders ineligible for a PCW or diversion because of their offending history. This would enable Police Iwi Liaison Officers (ILOs) to work with Māori offenders on alternative resolutions which avoid prosecution and include conditions not normally applied to PCWs, such as community work.

Operationally, PCWs are more suited in urban rather than rural areas, and in particular the centres of larger localities with prevalent disorder or alcohol-related offending. The initiative targets those 17-30 years of age (highest rates of overall offending are in this age group, including for the key offences eligible for PCWs). Of the top five offences where PCWs are most commonly used, four have no victims (and are “Police initiated”, such as Possession of Cannabis or Disorderly Behaviour).

• PCWs enable Police to deal with minor offending, often committed while the offender was intoxicated, in an effective way. This reduces the need for costly Court hearings, and also allows offenders meeting PCW criteria to avoid receiving a criminal conviction.
• Around 2,000 PCWs are issued every month. Approximately half are for Breach of Liquor Ban and Disorderly Conduct offences, and one third go to offenders aged between 17 and 20.
• Since their introduction in 2010, PCWs have resulted in approximately 37,000 hours of Police time being freed up.

Executive Summary

New Zealand Police have recently undertaken a review of pursuits in order to scrutinise existing practices and identify areas for further attention and improvement. The review is based on information recorded through the NZ Police Lotus Notes system. The Lotus Notes pursuit database was introduced in March/April 2004, prior to which time a more limited amount of information was collected through the older LES/Wanganui system.