This year's budget will invest $1.24 billion of new operating funding over four years and $785.6 million of capital funding in law and order initiatives, including an additional 1125 police staff.

A further $37.2 million is also being invested in funding to reduce the harm caused by family violence.

'This funding underpins the government's focus on preventing crime, reducing reoffending and better supporting victims,” says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

'It includes $145.8 million of operating funding over four years and $20.2 million in 2016/17 to enable Justice and Courts to provide an enhanced level of service to deliver better outcomes for our growing population.”

Corrections Minister Louise Upston says to support Corrections deliver its core services and reduce reoffending, Budget 2017 will set aside $255.9 million of operating funding over four years and $763.3 million in capital funding for more prison capacity.

'While we're focused on reducing offending, we also want to ensure we have enough prison beds to keep the worst offenders off our streets,” says Louise.

'We'll also upgrade infrastructure to enhance the safety of staff, prisoners, and the public.”

Other initiatives include:

• $32.9 million over the next four years for burglary prevention.
• $13.9 million over the next four years to reduce reoffending, targeted at high risk young offenders.
• $40.2 million over the next four years and $2.1 million capital for investment in anti-money laundering initiatives.
• $11.9 million over the next two years for additional security personnel across New Zealand's court system.
• $5.5 million over the next two years to continue the Iwi/Community Panels pilot.
• $51.6 million over the next four years to better manage offenders serving sentences and orders in the community, and to support the judiciary and Parole Board to make informed risk-based sentencing and parole decisions.
• $30.2 million over the next four years to improve the way prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide are managed in prison, and to increase access to industry, treatment and learning interventions.
• $1.4 million of operating funding over the next four years and $840,000 capital to provide the Serious Fraud Office with an integrated case and evidence management system to enable better analysis and management of complex evidence and data.

Amy says $22.4 million will also extend the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilots for another two years.

'More than 28,000 people have been supported through the ISR pilots in Christchurch and Waikato. The pilots are helping to improve the safety of family violence victims and stop family violence escalating by ensuring agencies and NGOs identify risks and intervene earlier.

'Extending the pilots for a further two years will enable us to support thousands more families. We will also get a better picture of the nature of family violence in New Zealand so we can make more informed decisions about how to reduce the harm it causes.”

Budget 2017 also invests an additional $4 million over two years for the continuation of the E Tu Whanau Community Action Fund, and an extra $1.8 million in 2017/18 to extend the community-based Gang Action Plan pilots.

'The E Tu Whanau programme shows the role Maori leadership and community-led approaches have in preventing family violence. The programme is helping hard-to-reach whanau to reduce violence and improve wellbeing,” says Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

'This programme complements the Government's Gang Action Plan, which aims to break intergenerational gang life and reduce the social harm caused to whanau. We know that a high proportion of gang members' partners are at higher risk of family violence and sexual violence, and that their children experience multiple incidents of abuse or neglect.

'The government is focused on reducing family violence and these initiatives are part of the wider work being led by the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence.”

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller welcomes the additional funding.

'I have been really concerned over the recent spate of aggravated robberies here in the Bay, so I'm really pleased that the budget has not only delivered 69 new frontline police officers for the Bay of Plenty, but that we will also be spending $46.9 million over the next four years specifically targeted at reducing burglary and youth offending,” he says.

"Reducing family violence is also an issue that I am particularly passionate about. Violence, particularly targeting women and children, is completely unacceptable in our community. This investment sends a clear message that we are determined to make a real difference here."