LibGuides: Criminology: Reporting

Law Commission Reports

Law commission reports are part of the law reform process. They offer a valuable critique of existing law, plus proposals for change.

You can find law commission reports

via the catalogue
by browsing the shelves, starting at KL160. There are separate sequences for each jurisdiction, with New Zealand material at KL178
or online

Online sources include:

New Zealand Law Commission This link opens in a new window

WorldLII Law Reform
Free. Law reform publications available through the Legal Information Institute sites.
Law Reform Database
Free. Includes links to full text of many of the indexed documents. Includes some information about the implementation of report recommendations.

Government Reports

Ministry of Justice Research & Data
Includes the NZ Crime and Safety Survey.

Select Committee Reports
These committees produce reports on specific Bills as they move through parliament. Of particular interest are the Committees for: Law and Order, and Justice and Electoral.

Newspaper Reporting

Starting your research with newspaper stories can provide an insight into public sentiment that may be hidden in the official government reports. Always corroborate the news with other sources to avoid bias and incorrect data.

For a focused look at newspapers, see the Newspapers Guide:

Use the CRAAP test (2:07min) to evaluate the newspaper articles, and their source. [courtesy of Waikato University Law Library]

Watch: The Problem with Fake News (2:55min)