The judge who set up rangatahi courts has received an international award for his work in youth justice.
Judge Heemi Taumaunu led the development of rangatahi courts, which Photo: Supplied
Judge Heemi Taumaunu led the development of the courts as an alternative for young Māori offenders.
He has been awarded the Swiss-based Veillard-Cybulski Award, which honours work in advancing children's rights in the justice system.
The rangatahi courts started in 2008 in Gisborne and have expanded to Auckland and Christchurch.
They operate within the youth court framework but use a marae-based and Māori-specific environment to help young Māori and their whānau engage with the justice system.
Family group conferences are held on marae to decide what will happen to the young person. The conferences adhere to Māori protocols or tikanga.
An 2012 evaluation comparing young people who had been through the rangatahi court process versus the ordinary youth court process found an 11 percent improvement in recidivism.