Registering public fear: An analysis of the New Zealand Child Sex Offender Government Agency Register

Abstract

Both in New Zealand and internationally, there has been an increase in protection measures for the avowed purpose of keeping children safe. The Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) Act 2016 was introduced in New Zealand in attempt to address the perceived risk posed by child sex offenders released back into the community. The Act establishes a Child Sex Offender Register that keeps an extensive range of personal information about offenders who have committed a qualifying offence. This paper critiques the efficacy and suitability of the Register, evaluating both why the Register came about and how it will work in practice. The Register has a number of conceptual and operational problems, making it an ineffective policy to address the problem of child sexual offending in New Zealand.