David Carruthers (judge)
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Judge Sir David James Carruthers KNZM |
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| Chief District Court Judge | |
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In office June 2001 – June 2005 |
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| Chair of New Zealand Parole Board | |
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In office 2005–2012 |
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| Succeeded by | Justice Warwick Gendall |
| Chair of Independent Police Conduct Authority | |
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Assumed office 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Justice Lowell Goddard QC |
Sir David James Carruthers KNZM is a long-serving member of the New Zealand legal community. He worked as a lawyer in Wellington, Pahiatua and Palmerston North, before being appointed as a Family Court Judge in 1985. In 2001 Carruthers was appointed as Chief District Court Judge, a position he held until 2005, when he was appointed as the chairman of the New Zealand Parole Board. In 2012, Carruthers joined the Independent Police Conduct Authority as its chairman.
Carruthers was born and raised in Pahiatua, New Zealand. He attended Victoria University, Wellington where he studied law graduating in 1962. He completed his masters in law passing with honours two years later. He practised law in Wellington and Pahiatua for 20 years before moving to Palmerston North. Carruthers is married and has five children.
In 1985 Carruthers was appointed as a judge in the Family Court in Wellington. Five years later he became a judge in the Youth Court, eventually being appointed as Principal Youth Court Judge. In 2000 Carruthers was asked to lead a Ministerial Taskforce on Youth Offending to come up with initiatives designed to reduce youth crime after Ministry of Justice figures showed that "over the 1990s, offending by 10- to 16-year-olds increased by 55%". In 2001 Carruthers was appointed as Chief District Court Judge, a position he held until 2005. In the Queen's Birthday Honours of 2005, Carruthers was appointed as a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and was redesignated as a Knight of the New Zealand Order of Merit upon the reinstitution of titular honours in 2009.
Carruthers also served as a judge on the High Court of Vanuatu.
Carruthers has given speeches at numerous conferences and seminars both in New Zealand and overseas. For many years he has pushed for a more humane approach to dealing with criminal offenders advocating, in particular, for increased use of restorative and therapeutic justice approaches. He has held a number of public and charitable offices and recommended greater focus on education, and interventions for youth and families rather than locking up more and more offenders.
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