A Critique of the New Zealand Government’s Gang Legislation Amendment Bill’s Banning Gang Patches in Public

This paper provides a summary of the social and economic circumstances that have led to the proliferation of gangs in New Zealand. It also examines New Zealand public policies to manage gang behaviours and the outcomes of these policies, which in the main have contributed to the formation of gangs and their violent behaviours. The paper uses this background information to critique the coalition government’s proposed Gang Legislation Amendment Bill that prohibits the display of gang insignia in public places, creating a new criminal offence, currently before Parliament. We contend that the proposed legislation will do nothing to reduce gang membership as it does not address the causes of gang membership.