Of Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangiitaane descent, Sir Kim Workman′s career spans roles in the Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, State services Commission, Department of Maori Affairs and Ministry of Health. As head of the Prison Service he established a mentoring programme for released prisoners.

He joined with Major Campbell Roberts of the Salvation Army in 2006 for the Rethinking Crime and Punishment Strategy and in 2011 established “Justspeak” a network of young people who wanted change in our criminal Justice System.

Sir Kim has received awards of Honorary Doctorates from Massey and Victoria University as well as various other appointments with The Families Commission, Chair of the Mental Health Foundation, and a Winston Churchill Fellowship.

Since 2007, Sir Kim has been focused on justice reform, public advocacy, policy, and research.

At present he is working on a book on the development of the criminal justice system in New Zealand, Criminal Justice, the State, and Maori, and examines the relationship between punitiveness and neoliberalism.