Section 27 Cultural Reports 

Section 27 of the Sentencing Act 2002 states than an "offender may request court to hear person on personal, family, whānau, community, and cultural background."

 

Through your lawyer, Māori are entitled to request a cultural report to be written as a part of the information to support your case. Your lawyer will be able to advise the merit of your particular situation of whether or not a cultural report will support your case. Your lawyer, on your behalf can make a request to Tohunga.nz to write a cultural report. This will involve an interview and cultural assessment. Legal aid is available to support this process and your lawyer is able to make application for thus to occur. 

 

The cultural assessment will take into consideration the following areas in relationship to the offence you are being charged with: Whakapapa, Whānaungatanga, Whānau background, Cutural Background (Te taha whānau, Te taha tinana, Te taha wairua, Te taha hinengaro, Whenua), and Intergenrational trauma etc.

 

The cultural report writer "Paora Te Oti Takarangi Joseph"  has an understanding of Te Reo me ona Tikanga, Kawa, Whānaungatanga as well as a qualification and background in Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Neuropsychology.