Crime victims are owed more than $80 million in reparations - a 33% jump over three years ago.
Figures from the Ministry of Justice show 60,000 victims are owed $80.5 million of court-ordered reparation as at October 30 last year - an average of about $1300 each.
The earliest unpaid reparation dates back to 1974.
The latest figures compare with $64.4 million of outstanding reparation owed in 2006 and $59.2 million in 2005.
But while the amount of reparations imposed is increasing, figures show the amount collected is also on the rise.
In the 12 months to July last year, the Department for Courts collected $20.4 million - up 22% on three years ago.
In the four months to October last year, $7.1 million had been collected.
Courts Minister Georgina Te Heuheu said the value owed was a reflection of the amount of reparation being imposed by judges.
"Imposing reparation is an entirely judicial manner, which we have no say over," she said.
"Increased use of reparation by judges has contributed to the value that is owed but to balance this, the amount collected is going up and that is a must."
She said a lot of hard work had gone in over the past year to ensure the trend continued.
"Taking money from people who don't want to give it is not the easiest task . . . but we are continually improving our game and how to impose collection," Ms Te Heuheu said.
But Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said New Zealand needed to adopt reparation systems that worked in other countries, such as the one used in Australia.
"The thing is over there they have a separate collection agency that actually goes out and makes sure that reparation is paid," he said.
"The offenders actually have to sit in the cells until somebody comes up with a reparation.
"It could be a family member or a friend.
"It acts like a bail bond system in place in a lot of countries and it obviously works."
He said the increasing reparation figure was "horrific" but not surprising.
"The offender only has to allege he's been hard done by and can't afford it or whatever and they don't have to pay, but they do get a discount on their sentence simply by making the gesture that they'll pay the reparation," he said.
"The message has to be clear from the justice system that it means what it says because if it's not, the offenders are going to laugh all the way to the bank - as they are," he said.
Victim Support chief executive Tony Paine was another who said the system was letting victims down.
"It's an unacceptably high amount and as always, the victim will be left out of pocket," he said.
"Ultimately, it erodes people's faith in the justice system.
"They're not getting what they're entitled to.
"Things are getting better and it is positive, but we can't let the ball drop.
"I know [the Courts Department] works very hard but not hard enough," Mr Paine said.
The Courts and Criminal Matters Bill, which was due to be introduced at the end of 2009, held the possibility of improving the courts' ability to collect unpaid reparation by adversely affecting offenders' credit ratings.
