Abstract
A negative light is often placed on rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand who find themselves in a cycle of crime. The current research aims to understand the predicaments of rangatahi through a social identity lens. Specifically, qualitative interviews were conducted to gain an accurate understanding of rangatahi social identities and social networks. Participants were 9 Gisborne adolescents currently moving through the youth justice system. Results revealed that many of these youth found their social networks were limited and became frozen once they entered the youth justice system. This process had the flow on effect of limiting educational and work opportunities. The current findings have implications for interventions with youth offenders, highlighting the fact that current approaches do little to enhance and expand potential social identities and networks. The exploratory nature of the research leaves space for many further studies to be conducted, including those that actively aim to expand the social network of justice-involved youth.