Patrick Mendes, Andrew Craig Immelman
Although the past two decades have seen a substantial decline in youth offending rates nationally in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) ( Stats NZ, 2023 ), Māori and Pasifika youth continue to be disproportionately represented in the justice system ( Ioane et al., 2016 ). Pasifika young people experience distinct sociocultural realities compared to their Pākehā (New Zealand European) peers ( Leafe, 2017 ). Collective identity, obligations to family and community (aiga/whānau), strong cultural ties, and experiences of migration, displacement, and marginalisation are key influences on Pasifika youth trajectories ( Enari et al., 2024 )