Law and order: National pledges to ban gang patches in public, new powers to detain young offenders

The party’s justice spokesperson said the policy would ensure police have the resources to go after gangs.

National has rolled out its crime and justice election promises, pledging to bring in a new suite of rules for young serious offenders, banning all gang insignia in public places and provide support for newly released prisoners to move away from where they committed their crime. 

"Our policy is simple: victims should get justice and criminals should be held accountable for the harm they cause, while also being rehabilitated into contributing members of our society," National leader Judith Collins said. 

Part of the promised policy was setting a target for sexual violence offences to be dealt with within a year, introduce a new category of young serious offenders to implement a "targeted approach early-on to stop young people spiralling into a lifetime of crime" and change the victim notification register to be an opt-out, rather than opt-in system. 

The young serious offender category would give Oranga Tamariki and police powers to detain the young person. 

National also wanted to implement a 'clean start' policy which would give support for people recently released from prison to move to a new location away from where they committed the crime. 

"Often the environment and relationships in an offender’s home location is a significant cause of the offending. Clean start provides those recently released from prison a circuit breaker and an opportunity to begin life afresh in a new location," the policy stated.

National would set aside $30 million over four years for the policy and initially place a limit of 500 prisoners. 

National also promised to bring in firearm prohibition orders, which could stop a person from possessing, using, accessing, or being around firearms, parts or ammunition. This was also proposed by the Government last year. 

National pledged its previously proposed 'strike force raptor'-like unit, which was a specialised police group to "disrupt the operation of gangs", similar to the dedicated unit in New South Wales. 

All gang insignia in public places would be banned under National. It also wants to expand alcohol, drug, literacy and numeracy programmes for first-time remandees. All prisoners would also have to be in work, education or training. 

National's justice spokesperson Simon Bridges said the party would "give law enforcement the tools and support to disrupt and halt the operations’ of gangs across the country". 

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