Criminal trial in New Zealand non-fiction, 1900-1997

Abstract

The topic of this bibliography is, 'The criminal trial in New Zealand non-fiction, 1900-1997.' In New Zealand, the criminal statute under which criminal offences are currently prosecuted is the Crimes Act 1961. The previous incarnations of this Act are also relevant for the purposes of this bibliography. The Criminal Code Act was passed in 1893 and was re-enacted in 1908. This was replaced by the 1961 Act, which remains in force. In order to be included in this bibliography, the relevant cases must have been prosecuted under these embodiments of the criminal code. Inclusion of cases prosecuted under other statutes would have resulted in difficulties with the interpretation of the word 'criminal.' The conscientious objector cases are an example of this problem. In order to be included in this bibliography, the offences must have gone to trial. This did not include instances in which the defendant pleaded guilty. This requirement addressed the objective dealing with the treatment of the trial process.