There is media fuss today around the resistance of schools in terms of excluding students excluded from other schools. The NZ Herald highlights statistics that 100s of schools appear to be reluctant and three remain outright resistant. The article highlights the legal obligation for schools to accept students in their zone. This can be ordered […]
The Genuine Legal Conflict for School Boards
The Genuine Legal Conflict for School Boards
18 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of crime, economics of education, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
The Ghahraman judgment
06 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment
The 60 paragraph decision by Judge Jelas is an interesting read. Some extracts:
The Ghahraman judgment
Three Strikes might have kept this victim alive
12 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
The Herald reports: A recidivist offender who shot a small-time Auckland drug dealer while robbing him of his stash and recent gaming machine jackpot had been on electronically monitored post-prison release conditions at the time of the murder – but had cut off his tracking device. That factor of Benjamin “Dekoy” Mcintosh’s murder in June 2022 was highlighted for the […]
Three Strikes might have kept this victim alive
More impatient people are more likely to commit crime
09 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economics of crime, economics of education, labour economics, law and economics, occupational choice Tags: cognitive psychology, crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Gary Becker’s famous model of rational crime suggests that criminals weigh up the costs and benefits of crime (and engage in a criminal act if the benefits outweigh the costs). Time preferences matter in this model, because the benefits of a criminal act are usually realised immediately, whereas the greatest costs (including the penalties of…
More impatient people are more likely to commit crime
Pushback on Pessimism About Randomized Controlled Trials
03 Jun 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Back in January, I posted about an article that was getting some attention in my world. Megan T. Stevenson is an active researcher in the criminal-justice-and-economics literature. She argues that when you look at the published studies that use randomized control trial methods to evaluate ways of reducing crime, most of the studies don’t show a…
Pushback on Pessimism About Randomized Controlled Trials
Karen Chhour Skewers The Maori Party
31 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of crime, economics of education, income redistribution, labour economics, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, poverty and inequality, property rights, Public Choice, public economics Tags: child abuse, child poverty, crime and punishment, family poverty, law and order
Article is by Chris Lynch and I have pinched this one from The BFD Blog. `ĀCT MP Karen Chhour has responded to the Maori Party’s “divisive outbursts.” Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said yesterday, ‘It’s now time for us to step comfortably into our rangatiratanga and to not give too much to this Pakeha Government with their […]
Karen Chhour Skewers The Maori Party
Some three strikes data
11 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
1st strikers 2nd strikers This data comes from someone who has OIAd this data. The Government’s proposed new law will see 55% of violent or sexual offenders not get a first strike and 31% of what would have been second strikers not get a second strike. Arguably it could even see 75% of first strikers and 53% […]
Some three strikes data
Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”
05 May 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: child abuse, crime and punishment, law and order
The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour blind, utterly child centric and open to whatever solution will ensure a child’s…
Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”
LINDSAY MITCHELL: Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
26 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of bureaucracy, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children in care now than as at 30 June 2019 when there were 6450 children and…
LINDSAY MITCHELL: Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
Meet a (Won’t be a striker at all) – former Third Striker # 1
25 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Ranapera Taumata is a Third Striker. He murdered his girlfriend in 2019 by beating her to death with his bare hands. The Judge summarised: Over the next 17 minutes or so, inside the sleepout you inflicted a prolongedand violent assault on Ms Hira, rendering her unconscious and injured. At about1.15 am you dragged her outside; she […]
Meet a (Won’t be a striker at all) – former Third Striker # 1
Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons
25 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does not spell out what the […]
Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons
A weak Three Strikes law
24 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Nicole McKee announced: The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. The return is welcome in principle, but what is being proposed is actually pretty weak and even ineffective. Cover the same 40 serious violent and sexual offences as the former legislation, […]
A weak Three Strikes law
Berkeley Prosecutors Cut Probation Deal for Scientist Who Tried to Kill Colleague
19 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
I have been a criminal defense attorney for my entire career, but there is a case out of Berkeley, California that is a real head scratcher. David Xu was the chief metallurgist for a company called Berkeley Engineering and Research (BEAR) and was caught on tape trying to poison a colleague. His actions are blamed […]
Berkeley Prosecutors Cut Probation Deal for Scientist Who Tried to Kill Colleague
Expensive grub and fags
13 Apr 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics Tags: crime and punishment, economics of corruption, law and order
Why NZ First shouldn’t get any apologies for the SFO’s failed prosecution
28 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found in […]
Why NZ First shouldn’t get any apologies for the SFO’s failed prosecution
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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