While the committee acknowledged the efforts by the government to improve prison conditions and mental health services for those in detention, it also raised a number of persistent problems in the youth justice sector.

The UN called on the government to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 in line with international standards, and urged for an end to the use of physical restraints such as pepper spray, spit hoods and solitary confinement for children. Read more

This comes after Newshub Nation obtained a dossier of documents that gives the biggest insight yet into radical plans to overhaul the justice system. Continue reading

The delegation, which reports to the UN Human Rights Council, in a statement released at the conclusion of its visit to New Zealand any bias against Maori leading to their incarceration more than other New Zealanders constitutes arbitrary detention and is illegal under international law.

Speaking after a two-week tour, chairperson Mads Andernas said 50 percent of the male and 65 percent of the female prison population are Maori. Fifty-four percent of young people in Youth Court and 71 percent of child offenders in the Family Court are also Maori.

Police and Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says she has seen no evidence of institutional racism in either police or Corrections.

"Quite the reverse in fact; there's a lot of work going on. The police are turning the tide and we're very impressed by that work and of course in Corrections the work that's going on to reduce reoffending."

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• Scoop
• Image: Scoop