Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010
| Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010 | |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Parliament | |
| Passed | 25 March 2010 |
| Royal assent | 31 May 2010 |
| Commenced | 1 June 2010 |
| Repealed | 16 August 2022 |
| Introduced by | Judith Collins |
| Repealed by | |
| Three Strikes Legislation Repeal Act 2022 | |
| Status: Repealed | |
The Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010 was an Act of Parliament in New Zealand that denied parole to repeat violent offenders, and imposed maximum terms of imprisonment on repeat offenders who commit three serious violent offences - unless it would be manifestly unjust. The law was known informally in New Zealand public, media and government circles as the "three-strikes law".
The bill passed its third reading on 25 May 2010. It was supported by the conservative National and libertarian ACT parties but was opposed by the Labour, Green, and Māori parties. It became law when it received royal assent on 31 May 2010.
It led to some anomalous sentencing outcomes with questionable evidence that it helped to reduce violent offending. It was repealed on 9 August 2022, by the Sixth Labour Government. On 13 December 2024, the Sixth National Government passed legislation reinstating a three-strikes sentencing regime in New Zealand.