Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wellington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
24 October 2025
Jacinta McGregor
[FYI request #32334 email]
Our ref: OIA 126082
Tēnā koe Jacinta
Official Information Act request: Data on sex offending
Thank you for your email of 17 September 2025 to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry),
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), data on sex offending in New
Zealand. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to your request.
Specifically, you requested:
…statistics on sex offenders* and sentencing in New Zealand.
Please provide the following information for 2019-2024 (5 year period) for the below
points 1-3. Please provide full statistics for points 4-8
1. Number of people found guilty of sex offending
2. Number and Percentage of people who pled guilty to sex offending and were
granted bail while awaiting sentencing, with access to public spaces during bail
3. Breakdown of sentencing outcome of people guilty of sex offending e.g. served a
prison sentence less than 5 years, more than 5 years, home detention vs community
detention and other sentences
4. Number and Percentage of people guilty of sex offending who were discharged
without conviction
5. Number and percentage of all guilty sex offenders who were awarded permanent
name suppression
6. Number and percentage of guilty sex offenders who did not need to appear on the
sex offenders register for any reason
7. Percentage of sex offender reoffending rates within 5 years, 10 years and 15+
years
8. Number of registered sex offenders currently living in the below areas;
•
Rodney District
•
Whangaparāoa
•
Auckland region
•
Wellington region
•
North Island
•
South Island
*sex offender has been used as a term to describe any sexual offence under New
Zealand law
On 24 September 2025, the Ministry contacted you to clarify your request under section 15
of the Act, and to inform you that questions 7 and 8 had been partially transferred to the
Department of Corrections and the New Zealand Police respectively, under section 14 of the
Act. We sought to clarify:
1. For question 1, whether you were seeking data on convicted people only, or proved
outcomes more broadly.
2. For question 2, that the Ministry was unable to provide data on bail conditions or the
specific stage of proceedings an individual had been granted bail. We could provide
data on the number and percentage of people who pled guilty and were granted bail
at
any stage of their proceedings.
3. For questions 4-6, the timeframe you meant by “full statistics”.
On the same day, you confirmed that your request could be clarified to the following:
1. For question 1 - proved outcome please
2. For question 2 - yes, please proceed with what the Ministry is able to provide for
question 2.
3. For questions 4-6, please provide a 15 year timeframe (2009-2024)
In response to your request, please refer to the tables below which are numbered according
to their corresponding question.
•
Table 1: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, by charge
outcome and year, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024.
•
Table 2a: Number of people with finalised charges for sexual offences who pled
guilty that were remanded on bail, broken down by year, between 1 January 2019
and 31 December 2024.
•
Table 2b: Percentage of people with finalised charges for sexual offences who pled
guilty that were remanded on bail, broken down by year, between 1 January 2019
and 31 December 2024.
•
Table 3a: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, by most serious sentence
and year, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024.
•
Table 3b: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, sentenced to
imprisonment, broken down by sentence time and year, between 1 January 2019 and
31 December 2024.
•
Table 4a: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with an
outcome of discharge without conviction, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December
2024.
•
Table 4b: Percentage of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with an
outcome of discharge without conviction, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December
2024.
•
Table 5a: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with
permanent name suppression, broken down by year, between 1 January 2009 and
31 December 2024.
•
Table 5b: Percentage of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with
permanent name suppression, broken down by year, between 1 January 2009 and
31 December 2024.
•
Table 6a: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, who were
automatically/ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, or declined to be
ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, between 1 January 2009 and
31 December 2024.
•
Table 6b: Percentage of people convicted of sexual offences, who were
automatically/ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, or declined to be
ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, between 1 January 2009 and
31 December 2024.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
Official Information Act responses | New Zealand Ministry of Justice. If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28 of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman may be contacted
by phone on: 0800 802 602, by email at: [email address], or via the
webform:
Make a complaint (for members of the public) | Ombudsman New Zealand. Nāku noa, nā
Jacquelyn Shannon
Group Manager, Courts and Tribunals, Regional Service Delivery
Table 1: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, by charge outcome and year, between 1 January 2019 and 31
December 2024
Charge outcome
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
ACT 1982
Convicted
773
680
781
847
935
959
Other proved
82
82
92
97
99
110
Total
855
762
873
944
1,034
1,069
Notes for Table 1:
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge finalised in the year, and only the details of that charge
are shown.
• This data is extracted based on the year the charge was convicted and sentenced or other proved.
• This data includes cases held in the High Court, District Court, and Youth Court.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
INFORMATION
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
• The charge outcome is the final outcome of a prosecution - whether a person is convicted or not:
o
proved outcomes (where a person is found to be, or pleads, guilty) include convicted and other proved outcomes, such as Youth
Court proved (s283 order), discharge without conviction and adult diversion/Youth Court discharge, and proven but not criminally
responsible on account of insanity).
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
Table 2a: Number of people with finalised charges for sexual offences who pled guilty that were remanded on bail, broken down by 1982
year, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024
Granted bail
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
ACT
No
123
117
134
110
113
143
Yes
533
486
541
603
643
610
Total pled guilty
656
603
675
713
756
753
Table 2b: Percentage of people with finalised charges for sexual offences who pled guilty that were remanded on bail, broken down
by year, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024
Granted bail
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
No
19%
19%
20%
15%
15%
19%
INFORMATION
Yes
81%
81%
80%
85%
85%
81%
Notes for Table 2a and 2b:
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge finalised in the year, and only the details of that charge
are shown.
• This data includes cases held in the High Court, District Court, and Youth Court.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
OFFICIAL
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
• The person's final plea type is included in this data.
THE
• During the court process, a person may spend time remanded on bail and/or time remanded in custody. A person may spend time on
bail and in custody if, for example, they're initially on bail but are subsequently remanded in custody for further offending or breaching
their bail, or they may initially be remanded in custody and then released on EM bail.
UNDER
RELEASED
Table 3a: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, by most serious sentence and year, between 1 January 2019 and 31
1982
December 2024
Most serious
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
ACT
sentence
Imprisonment
362
316
410
413
471
528
Home detention
163
149
155
187
200
186
Community
88
72
78
98
100
79
detention
Intensive
66
61
43
56
57
49
supervision
Community work
37
31
22
29
33
40
Supervision
20
29
39
29
33
37
Monetary
16
12
17
20
20
15 INFORMATION
Deferment
11
4
7
9
10
13
Other
4
4
6
2
3
4
No sentence
6
2
4
4
8
8
recorded
Total
773
680
781
847
935
959
OFFICIAL
Table 3b: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, sentenced to imprisonment, broken down by sentence time and year,
between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024
Term of imprisonment
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
THE
5 years or more
132
112
137
156
190
211
Under 5 years
221
198
263
252
279
311
Preventive detention
9
6
10
5
2
6
UNDER
Total
362
316
410
413
471
528
RELEASED
Notes for Table 3a and 3b:
1982
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge related to sexual offences, convicted in the year, and
only the details of that convicted charge are shown.
• This data is extracted based on the year the charge was convicted and sentenced.
ACT
• The data in Table 3a includes cases held in the High Court, District Court and Youth Court.
• The data in Table 3b includes cases held in the High Court and District Court only and is a subset of Table 3a.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
• A person may receive more than one type of sentence when convicted of a charge. The most serious sentence is used in these tables.
Sentences include (in order of seriousness):
o imprisonment (includes life imprisonment, preventive detention and imprisonment).
o community sentences (includes home detention, community detention, intensive supervision, community work, supervision).
o monetary (includes reparation, fine and order for restitution of property). INFORMATION
o deferment (which includes 'to come up for sentence if called upon').
o other (orders related to the forfeiture and confiscation, Child Protection Register, Final Protection Order (Sentencing Act),
Firearm Prohibition Order, and 'committed to a facility on conviction'),
o no sentence recorded (includes where a person has been 'convicted and discharged' and where a person has been ordered to
pay court costs).
• Preventive detention is imposed only on serious, repeat sex-offenders, or serious, repeat violent offenders. The convicted person must
serve a minimum period of imprisonment of five years in prison before being eligible for parole, although a longer term may be imposed.
OFFICIAL
THE
UNDER
RELEASED
Table 4a: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with an outcome of discharge without conviction, between 1 1982
January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Proved outcome
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
ACT
Discharge
28
17
22
19
21
20
19
32
23
25
37
39
43
52
44
50
without
conviction
Table 4b: Percentage of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with an outcome of discharge without conviction, between
1 January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Proved outcome
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Discharge
3%
2%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
4%
2%
3%
4%
5%
5%
6%
4%
5%
without
conviction
INFORMATION
Notes for Table 4a and 4b:
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge finalised in the year, and only the details of that charge
are shown.
• This data is extracted based on the year the charge was convicted and sentenced or other proved.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
OFFICIAL
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
• This data includes cases held in the High Court, District Court and Youth Court.
• The charge outcome is the final outcome of a prosecution - whether a person is convicted or not:
THE
o proved outcomes (where a person is found to be, or pleads, guilty) include convicted and other proved outcomes, such as Youth
Court proved (s283 order), discharge without conviction and adult diversion/Youth Court discharge, and proven but not criminally
responsible on account of insanity).
• A discharge without conviction is a final charge outcome, available under section 106 Sentencing Act 2002. This is a proved charge
outcome (it can occur if a person is found guilty or pleads guilty), but it is treated as an acquittal. No conviction is entered on a person's
UNDER
record. A court can order them to pay court costs or reparation (e.g. for emotional harm or loss/damage of property) or make other
orders/sentences that are given to people who are convicted (e.g. disqualification from driving).
RELEASED
Table 5a: Number of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with permanent name suppression, broken down by year,
1982
between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Granted
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
permanent name
ACT
suppression
Yes
57
62
73
78
83
84
76
86
88
81
90
93
92
101
90
88
No
724
719
686
755
840
723
723
759
828
818
733
635
740
808
912
943
Total
819
809
795
873
957
849
820
876
959
937
855
762
873
944
1,034
1,069
Table 5b: Percentage of people with proved outcomes for sexual offences, with permanent name suppression, broken down by year,
between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Granted
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
permanent name
INFORMATION
suppression
Yes
12%
11%
14%
14%
12%
15%
12%
13%
14%
13%
14%
17%
15%
14%
12%
12%
No
88%
89%
86%
86%
88%
85%
88%
87%
86%
87%
86%
83%
85%
86%
88%
88%
Notes for Table 5a and 5b:
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge finalised in the year, and only the details of that charge
OFFICIAL
are shown.
• This data is extracted based on the year the charge was convicted and sentenced or other proved.
• This data includes cases held in the High Court, District Court and Youth Court.
•
THE
This data only counts people with final permanent name suppression. When a person first appears in court, an interim suppression
order can be made. This expires at the person's next court appearance and may only be renewed if the court is satisfied that the
reason(s) for suppression still apply. At the end of the case a final name suppression order can be made.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
UNDER
• Charges where name suppression is applied to people other than the person charged, are not included.
RELEASED
Table 6a: Number of people convicted of sexual offences, who were automatically/ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender
1982
Register, or declined to be ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Order type
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
ACT
Automatically
62
92
119
130
201
233
213
267
324
330
249
239
265
302
327
347
/Orders to be
on the child
protection
register
Declined to
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
22
103
106
98
112
106
150
150
140
make order to
be on the
child
protection
register
Total
62
92
119
130
201
233
213
289
427
436
347
351
371
452
477
487
INFORMATION
Table 6b: Percentage of people convicted of sexual offences, who were automatically/ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender
Register, or declined to be ordered to be put on the Child Sex Offender Register, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2024
Order type
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Automatically/Orders 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
92%
76%
76%
72%
68%
71%
67%
69%
71%
to be on the child
OFFICIAL
protection register
Declined to make
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8%
24%
24%
28%
32%
29%
33%
31%
29%
order to be on the
child protection
THE
register
Notes for Table 6a and 6b:
• This data counts a person once per calendar year for their most serious charge finalised in the year, and only the details of that charge
are shown.
•
UNDER
This data is extracted based on the year the charge was convicted and sentenced or other proved.
• This data includes cases held in the High Court and District Court.
• Sexual offences are any offences within the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) division 03: Sexual
assault and related offences. The ANZSOC is used in statistical collections, and in data held by police, criminal courts, corrective
services and related justice agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
• Where information is not existing for a measure a dash (-) is used in the tables.
RELEASED
• There is no general sex offenders register in New Zealand; however, the Child Sex Offender Register was commenced on 14 October 1982
2016.
• An offender is automatically put on the Child Sex Offender Register if they have been sentenced to imprisonment on a qualifying
offence under the Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) Act 2016.
ACT
• If an offender receives a non-custodial sentence for a conviction on a qualifying offence, a court may make an order to put the offender
on the Child Sex Offender Register.
• The Child Sex Offender Register commenced operation on 14 October 2016. The data pre-dating its commencement reflects the people
that were retrospectively updated to be on the Register due to their charges and sentence meeting the criteria. There is no data on
‘Declined to be on the child protection register’ prior to the Register’s commencement.
INFORMATION
OFFICIAL
THE
UNDER
RELEASED
