Police bias against Māori: 'It's not surprising'
Study shows police are almost twice as likely to send a first-time Māori offender to court than a Pākehā
Māori men are more likely to be stopped, prosecuted and tasered - an expert says bias and structural racism within the police are to blame
The news of police bias and structural racism comes as no surprise to Māori, says a criminology expert.
A new study has shown police are almost twice as likely to send a first-time Māori offender to court than a Pākehā.
The study, which was part of the world-leading research project Understanding Policing Delivery (UPD), granted an external research team access to police data to investigate whether there is police bias in their treatment of Māori, Pasifika and other communities.
The UPD study found that Māori were more likely to be:
- Stopped by police
- Prosecuted
- Tasered
Māori men were also more likely to be held in custody overnight than Pākehā men.
Dr. Rawiri Waretini, a senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Auckland, says the findings are not surprising.
"We know that there is a long history of police bias and structural racism in New Zealand," he says.
"This study provides further evidence of this bias, and it is something that needs to be addressed urgently."
Waretini says there are a number of factors that contribute to police bias, including:
- Unconscious bias
- Discrimination
- A lack of cultural understanding
He says unconscious bias is a particularly insidious problem, as it can be difficult to identify and address.
"Unconscious bias is when people make judgments or decisions based on their own stereotypes or preconceptions, without even realizing it," he says.
"This can lead to unfair treatment of people from different cultural backgrounds."
Waretini says it is important to have open and honest conversations about police bias and structural racism, and to work together to find solutions.
"We need to work together to create a more just and equitable society for all New Zealanders," he says.
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