To find out more about the problems that we are trying to solve, listen to JustSpeak’s five-part podcast: Tith perspectives from people who have personal experience of the justice system, as well as academics, activists and inspirational leaders, the podcast paints a clear picture of the deep-rooted issues and how things could be changed for the better.

Our vision is a society that gives everyone what they need while caring for each other and the planet. We dream of a world where everyone has a roof over their head, food on the table, and time to spend with loved ones. Where we’ve reimagined justice to be about health and not handcuffs and where we’ve closed the last prison - for good. Watch the video to see what this world could look like.

Prisons are not Māori institutions: they are a colonial construct, and were inherited by British settlers when they arrived in Aotearoa. The first prisons were raupo prisons, built a few weeks after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Before prisons were introduced, Māori would traditionally resolve disputes through tikanga, which is the law that governs the customs and behaviour in Māori society. Since 1840, New Zealand has suppressed the practice of Māori reconciliatory justice and replaced it with the Western confinement model; a ‘one law for all’ approach.

We want to see a justice system that upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Toads of information about Te Tiriti and why it’s so important to our mahi.

The current voting age in Aotearoa is 18 years old. Some young people think that’s unfair, and they’ve launched the Make it 16 campaign to lobby the Government to lower the voting age to 16 instead. Watch this documentary about the young people leading the campaign.

We want to see a justice system that is fair and respects the human rights and dignity of everyone. We are working to achieve this transformation by shifting the focus and resources away from police, punishment and prisons toward prevention, restoration, accountability, community, whānau, wellbeing, and care. Read more about our blueprint: this is a vision for Aotearoa where every whānau and community has the things they need to thrive and live a flourishing life.

If you work in the community or justice sectors, we know it’s difficult to write about justice topics in a way that appeals to the people you are trying to influence. JustSpeak has partnered with The Workshop to develop an in-depth guide on how to talk about crime and justice, based on the science behind effective messaging. If you are a community organisation, we encourage you to check this out!