Abstract
In New Zealand (NZ), the boundaries of our criminal law have been gradually expanding, often without due consideration of the underlying principles that ought to guide such expansion and the potential consequences accompanying their neglect. While Parliament routinely enacts new criminal offences, they seldom pause to adequately consider the underlying justifications or broader implications of their actions. As a result, the integrity of our criminal law is gradually deteriorating. This dissertation investigates three instances of this expansion to shed light on a rising trend of unprincipled criminalisation in NZ, indicative of a growing tendency to overcriminalise.