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Kim Workman

New Zealand criminal justice advocate

Academic Criminologist
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About Kim Workman

Kim Workman was a New Zealand academic and criminologist.

Sir Robert Kinsela Workman (born ), commonly known as Kim Workman, is a New Zealand criminal justice advocate.

Career Following the Dawn Raids, Workman resigned as a senior sergeant in Lower Hutt police force over his opposition to the racism displayed in the police response.

He served as Families Commissioner between 2008 and 2011, having previously been the national director of Prison Fellowship New Zealand. Workman has been a long-time advocate of prisoners' rights and for reform in the criminal justice system: he founded the Robson Hanan Trust, which is responsible for the Rethinking Crime and Punishment strategy, and was also the founder of JustSpeak, a youth network seeking changes in the criminal justice system, in 2011.

Honours In the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours, Workman was named a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for services to prisoner welfare. In the 2019 New Year Honours, Workman was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to prisoner welfare and the justice sector.

Workman has been conferred honorary Doctor of Literature degrees by both Victoria University of Wellington (2016) and Massey University (2017). He was named Senior New Zealander of the Year at the 2018 New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Personal life Of Māori descent, Workman affiliates to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa.

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Important facts

Nationality
Awards
Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit‎; Companion of the Queen's Service Order; Honorary doctor of Massey University; Honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington
Also known as
Robert Kinsela Workman, Sir Kim Workman

Frequently asked questions

Who was Kim Workman?

New Zealand criminal justice advocate

What was Kim Workman's occupation?

Kim Workman was an academic and criminologist.

What nationality was Kim Workman?

Kim Workman was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Kim Workman

· Wikidata: Q66209098

· DBpedia: Kim Workman

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kim Workman. https://biography.guide/kim-workman/

MLA: "Kim Workman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kim-workman/.

Chicago: "Kim Workman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kim-workman/.

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