In D. F. Hawkins. Violent Crime : Assessing race and ethnic differences

This chapter examines the relationship between ethnicity and interpersonal violence in New Zealand. A birth cohort from the longitudinal Christchurch Health and Development Study was used to obtain data concerning involvement in interpersonal violence at 18 years of age. Ethnic, social, economic, and familial data is also examined. The data was collated to compare Māori and non-Māori rates of interpersonal violence; the research findings show that Māori were more likely than non-Māori to be both perpetrators and victims of violence. Māori were also more likely to experience socio-economic disadvantage and family dysfunction. When statistically controlling for social, economic and familial factors, no significant difference was found between Māori and non-Māori involvement in interpersonal violence. Thus, the results illustrate that exposure to factors such as social and economic disadvantage, childhood adversity, family dysfunction and parental problems explain the higher incidence of Māori involvement in interpersonal violence. The author identifies and discusses limitations of the research, such as the under-representation of Māori in this region of New Zealand used as the base for this study.

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