Tougher Sentences for Sexual Offending

National will continue to ensure there are real consequences for crime by abolishing good character assessments at sentencing for all sexual offending. National is fixing the basics in law and order and building a future where all New Zealanders can feel safe in their communities. Ensuring there are real consequences for crime is a critical part of that.

What we'll do

Abolishing good character assessments at sentencing for all sexual offending

judges will be prohibited from treating good character as a mitigating factor at sentencing for all sexual offending.

Tougher sentences

stopping judges from being forced to consider the public reputation of an offender when sentences for sexual offending are being handed down.

This builds on our previous work to limit the discounts judges can apply at sentencing to 40 per cent, giving sexual violence victims the power to determine whether their perpetrators receive permanent name suppression, and making stalking illegal and a jailable offence.

A vote for National is a vote for real consequences for crime.