Dear Nicolas,

Thank you for your email, which I have forwarded to the correct department
for follow-up.

Sincerely

Public Affairs Team
New Zealand Police 

NB
-----Nicolas Bosma <[OIA #938 email]> wrote:
-----

To: OIA requests at New Zealand Police <[New Zealand Police request email]>
From: Nicolas Bosma <[OIA #938 email]>
Date: 15/06/2013 02:47PM
Subject: Official Information Act request - Statistics for cannabis
charges

     Dear New Zealand Police,
    
     Nationwide, for the year 2012:
    
     (a) How many people were charged with possession of cannabis?
    
     (b) How many people were instead offered diversion?
    
     I am a New Zealand citizen, but understand if you wish to confirm
     this.
    
     Yours faithfully,
     Nicolas Bosma
    
     -------------------------------------------------------------------
    
     This is an OIA request done via the FYI website.
    
     Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
     published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
     [1]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
    
     If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your
     web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA page.
    
    
    

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Bosma

 

Thank you for your request received on 15 June 2013 under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA) relating to information on the number of people
charged with possession of cannabis and the number offered diversion.

 

In the year ending 31 December 2012, there were 3,546 apprehensions that
were resolved by prosecution. Some of these would have subsequently been
diverted, but this distinction is not available in apprehension
statistics. Therefore, this part of your request is refused pursuant to
section 18(g) of the OIA, as the information is not held by Police.

 

The term ‘apprehension’ refers to when Police determine who committed an
offence and informed that person as such. One offender may be apprehended
for multiple offences, or multiple offenders may be apprehended for one
offence.

 

Official Statistics for recorded apprehensions, including the age, gender,
ethnicity and how the apprehension was resolved, are available on the
Statistics New Zealand website (www.stats.govt.nz).

 

Although for the reasons above none of the information you have sought has
been provided with this letter, I trust my response is still helpful in
guiding you to the online holdings for such data.

 

As you may already be aware, you have the right under section 28(3) of the
OIA to seek a review of my handling of your request by the Office of the
Ombudsmen.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine Cotter

Acting National Manager

Planning and Performance Group

Police National Headquarters

New Zealand Police

===============================================================

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