CRJU101 Introduction to Criminal Justice Assessment Brief 2026 | University Of Canterbury

CRJU101 Assessment Brief 

Weighting: 40%
Length: up to 2,500 words
Due: 27 March 2026

Task Description

You are a policy advisor to the Minister of Justice in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Minister is considering potential reforms to the early stages of the criminal justice system (Lectures 1–5) but wants an evidence-based analysis of specific issues before making decisions.

For this assessment, you will choose one of the following system issues or questions and produce an evidence brief that:

• Clearly defines the issue you are examining
• Uses evidence from New Zealand research, statistics, and CRJU101 content
  o You must explicitly use at least two journal articles from the required course readings. You can also use journal articles or book chapters that you source yourself. You should not rely upon websites for your evidence.
• Explores (if applicable) how other jurisdictions have addressed similar issues, highlighting relevant research evidence
• Provides the Minister with a balanced, research-informed understanding of the current state of the issue

System issues (choose one)

• Are social or individual factors the main drivers of offending in NZ?
• Does police discretion create disparities in enforcement and outcomes?
• Are NZ’s bail and remand processes fair and effective?*
• How do cultural reports affect sentencing equity for Māori and others?*
• Do current policing strategies reduce crime while maintaining community trust?
• How accurately do crime statistics reflect real crime and public perceptions?
• How do court delays affect justice outcomes in NZ?*

Because we won’t have covered these starred topics in class before the assessment is due, check the end of this document for some references you can use for the ‘2 required course reading’ part.

Structure of Evidence Brief

Students should follow the structure (and word count below). The bullet points below are intended to guide the student but are not necessarily required.

Introduction / Context (500 – 600 words)

Within this section you might:

• Identify the system issue or question under review.
• Explain why it matters for the criminal justice system and how it might be considered for reform discussions.
• Define key terms and concepts.
• Identify the relevant parts of the system being analysed.
• Reference any recent and relevant media for the Minister.

Evidence Analysis (1,200 – 1,500 words)

Within this section you might:

• Present supporting evidence for the system issue or question.
• Present contradicting or alternative evidence.
• Include statistics, academic research findings, and NZ-specific examples.
• Analyse patterns, gaps, or limitations in the evidence.
• Explore how other jurisdictions address similar issues (e.g., policies, practices, or reforms overseas).
  o Identify examples of approaches or evidence from at least one other country.
  o Discuss how this evidence compares to the New Zealand context, without proposing a specific reform for NZ.

Summary / Key Insights ( 300 – 400 words)

Within this section you might:

• Summarise the weight of evidence and highlight areas of agreement and contention.
• Discuss what the evidence collectively tells us about the system issue or question.
• Link findings to why the Minister might consider reforms in general, without recommending a specific reform.

Reference list

As with all scholarly writing, accurate and consistent referencing is essential. A strong emphasis in this assessment is placed on the quality and accuracy of your supporting sources. All sources cited in the text must appear in the Reference List. Likewise, the Reference List should not contain any sources that are not cited in the assignment. You are required to use the APA 7th edition referencing style. Footnotes should only be used for brief explanatory comments and not for referencing purposes. Wherever possible, use high-quality, credible, and academically appropriate sources. Marks will be deducted for incorrect or inconsistent in-text citations and referencing, so you should ensure your referencing is accurate before submitting your work. A guide to using APA 7th edition is available on the CRJU101 Learn Page.

These readings can be used as required readings for your Evidence Brief. They’ll be especially helpful if you’ve chosen one of the below issues to address:

Are NZ’s bail and remand processes fair and effective?

Peterson, S., Lambie, I., & Cartwright, C. (2024). Bailed out: Defendants’ and stakeholders’ experiences of a bail support programme. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 63(2), 216-236.
Tupou, J. (2025). Tough on Crime: What is the Reality of New Zealand’s ‘Crime Problem’and Life Behind the Wire. Journal of Prisoners on Prisons, 34(2), 10-35.

How do cultural reports affect sentencing equity for Māori and others?

Kalach, B. (2023). Section 27 Past, Present and Future Potential: A Critical Evaluation of s 27 Cultural Reports and Discounts in Sentencing. Pub. Int. LJNZ, 10, 57.
Fredrickson, O. (2021). Pūnaha whakawā – criminal justice: Systemic deprivation discounts and section 27 reports: progress but not perfect. Māori Law Review, 4.

How do court delays affect justice outcomes in NZ?

Although the second article isn’t written about New Zealand, it can still be applied to our context (hint: especially if you search for statistics about how many open court cases we have, and bear in mind that people on bail and remand may be affected too..).

Singh, T., Forsyth, C. (2025). Justice delayed is justice denied: issues with excessive pre-trial detention, the Bail Act 2000, and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. New Zealand Law Journal, 8, pp. 269-273.
Sourdin , T. and Burstyner , N. (2014) “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, Victoria University Law and Justice Journal. Melbourne, Australia, 4(1), pp. 49–62. doi: 10.15209/vulj.v4i1.61