The Australian and New Zealand Critical Criminology Conference
Elizabeth StanleySenior Lecturer, Criminology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. ‘Dealing with Human Rights Victims in New Zealand’Based on new and ongoing research, this presentation examines the violence and injuries suffered by children and young people in state-run welfare institutions in New Zealand. The paper begins by providing a preliminary indication of the extent and nature of harms inflicted against this population; this will include discussion on the long-term ramifications of violence in terms of the progression of children and young people from institutions of ‘care and protection’ to penal establishments. Following this, the paper focuses on two main points: (i) how this group of rights claimants, and the harms inflicted against them, have been represented and dismissed by official agencies, individual workers as well as by the ‘victims’ themselves; and, (ii) the stance of the NZ government to close down avenues of truth or redress for this group. In short, this paper exposes how human rights victims in New Zealand have been subject to state-led techniques of criminalization, denial and impunity.Dr Stanley teaches and researches on the issues of state crimes, human rights, transitional justice and social justice. Her previous work has focused on rights and justice issues in South Africa, Chile and Timor-Leste, and her 2008 book (to be launched at the ANZ Critical Criminology Conference), Torture, Truth and Justice: The Case of Timor-Leste, is published by Routledge. |
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