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An Exploration of the Factors That Contribute to Violent Offending Within the Population of Young Pacific Islanders in Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Date

2024

Authors

Paongo, Akosita

Supervisor

Tunufa'i, Laumua

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

The behaviour of today's young people never fails to captivate the interest of the society especially when it comes to the nature of their offending behaviour. Youth crime has been a longstanding topic of discussion both nationally and internationally with the overrepresentation of Indigenous and minority groups in the criminal justice system compared to the overall population. In Aotearoa/New Zealand, Māori and Pacific Islander groups remain disproportionately overrepresented in youth crime statistics. However, Pacific youth exhibit higher rates of violent crimes (Ioane & Lambie, 2016). This study’s objective was to explore the multifaceted landscape of factors contributing to violence, attempting to understand how these elements interact, leading to violent behaviour among young Pacific Islanders. This qualitative study was guided by a phenomenological approach employing talanoa as a research method to engage with the 8 young Pacific Islander participants through talanoa sessions. Data was collected from the 8 participants of Pacific descent who shared their lived experiences and perceptions towards violent offending behaviour. These results, when linked with Pacific youth crime literature, suggest that the experiences that Pacific young people encounter during childhood - whether complex, difficult, or traumatic - have a significant effect on their overall well-being in later life. This synthesis of research into young Pacific Islanders' experiences and perceptions of violent offending underscores the importance of considering these viewpoints when developing interventions to comprehend, prevent, and address violent offending within this demographic. The findings reveal that young Pacific Islanders are prone to committing crimes due to risk factors including economic challenges, lack of education, and peer association. The root causes of their violent behaviour stem from negative challenges including first-hand experience of violence, influenced by social media criminal contents, peers, environmental influences, and the tendency to become violent as a means of self-protection. This study is only Pacific focused in the Auckland context, therefore future research is recommended to include both young people who offend and those who do not offend to identify the connection between them.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/17681

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Masters Theses