It's being called one of the biggest steps forward in youth justice in more than a decade - 16 new community-based homes for young offenders are set to be established.
It comes as the age limit for Youth Court is lifted to 17-year-olds as of tomorrow, with the aim of giving more young people a second chance.
A Government investment of $27 million dollars will see 16 new community homes built over the next four years.
With only four available across the country at the moment, it will mean youth offenders don’t have to relocate away from their family.
"Putting them at a large distance away from their family from their homes doesn't help when the day comes when they move back into those communities," says Phil Dinham, Youth Justice worker for Oranga Tamariki.
Keeping ties with family members is an important part of keeping life stable for teenagers who are in trouble says Cath Deacon, a house parent at one of the homes.
"A lot of our young men they have strong links with grandparents in particular, a lot of times these grandparents, they can't travel, families can't travel, they don't have the means to travel," she told 1 NEWS.
Ms Deacon runs one of the country's first community based youth homes in Rotorua.
She says it works on the values of Tikanga Māori and reconnecting the young men with their culture.
"The best thing is that probably 90 per cent of our boys stand up and mihi to the judge when they attend their court session and for us that's a win."
For Mr Dinham, it's the biggest step forward for youth justice in New Zealand for a decade.
“Let's let them be young people, make the mistakes, support them when they do, but don't hang this offender tag around their neck for the rest of their lives,” he says.
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