An expert has slammed National's proposed law and order reforms, saying the party's policy is "retrograde".
At a party conference over the weekend, National said wanted to limit judge discretion in sentencing, curb the use of cultural reports, and offer rehabilitation to remand prisoners that are awaiting sentencing.
AUT law dean and parole board member Khylee Quince told Breakfast: "There was not a lot of inspiring policy proposed in this suite of reforms, nothing new here really. I'd sum it up by saying 'ineffective, expensive and inequitable'."
It comes after data released in March showed retail crime had increased by 39% over the year prior.
But National's announcement "is fear-mongering", Quince said.
"They've cherry-picked certain categories of crime there, [and] the media chooses to highlight certain types of crime at any given time.
"The overall pattern of offending has been on a steady downward trend for more than 20 years," she said.
"That's why this government and others — including of course former prime minister Bill English from the National Party — have said that prisons are a 'moral and fiscal failure'.
"There's no need for prisons when crime is essentially falling."
Quince acknowledged that people feel fearful, but said they shouldn't.
She said the National Party were "preaching to the choir" with their announcement.
"Any policy that's going to raise the prison population numbers is a retrograde step," Quince said.
She was on board with increasing access to rehabilitation, but stressed it doesn't need to happen in prison.
"If we can have some agreement across party benches on that, then of course that is a good thing," Quince said.
But reducing judge discretion would be a mistake and a challenge to Aotearoa's constitution, she argued: "Judges are the experts."
'Real consequences for serious crime' - National
The party's justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith has defended the proposals amid criticism. (Source: Breakfast)
National's justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith has defended the policy announcement.
"We've got a simple point that we're trying to make, that we need real consequences for serious crime," he told Breakfast.
"In combination, it's about sending a strong message that we take law and order seriously.
"I just totally reject the previous comments that it's fear-mongering from an academic," Goldsmith added.
He said the party's candidates were out in communities around the country, hearing the public's concerns.
"There are two issues that come up all the time, cost of living and law and order. People are worried about it."
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