Criminology in New Zealand is still in its infancy. Professionally, it is weak and disorganized. Academically, it is dependent on other disciplines, and its energies are dissipated by geography and academic fragmentation. At the governmental level, its influence is weak and its practitioners scattered. Insofar as it has a distinctive character, it is pragmatic and administrative. Research is dominated by legal and administrative concerns and is often tailored to the needs of particular government bureaucracies. This situation may be starting to change, however. The Institute of Criminology is likely to start providing a new, coherent professional leadership in teaching and research, thus acting as a focus around which a distinctive criminology may emerge. Regarding crime patterns, New Zealand has experienced a steady increase in all crime categories since 1945. Politically, the most explosive issues are violence and drug offenses. The overview of the criminal justice system has brief sections on the criminal law, the police, the courts, juveniles, the penal system, and the Ministry of Justice. Eleven notes and 42 bibliographic entries are provided.