PUNISHMENT BY PROBATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 142, 29 March 1948, Page 4

PUNISHMENT BY PROBATION

Dominion System is Praised BENEFICIAL REFORM FOR OFFENDERS, Because New Zealand lias one of the most up-to-date systems of probation in , the world, the At-torney-General for New South Wales (the Hon. C. E. Martin) visited the Dominion last year to see at first hand the workings of this form of punishment, as well as this country’s procedure in domestic and children’s courts. In a report on the South Australian scheme of offenders’ probation, a copy of which has been received by Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., he commends New Zealand’s liberal use of probation in the courts.

Since assuming his present office, Mr Martin has advocated a more extensive use of probation in Australia, believing that it is a progressive and enlightened attitude toward the question of punishment. In his report he says that the duties of probation officers in South Australia are confined to after-care. This contrasts unfavourably with the position in New Zealand, where the major work of the officer is to guide the court in dealing with an offender by furnishing detailed reports as to his antecedents, health, habits, associates and general environment, he says. The absence of a pre-sentence report deprives the courts of a personal history of an offender and places them at a disadvantage in determining the most appropriate course to be adopted with the individual. Setting Example In New Zealand’ the guarantee that a degree of guidance and supervision will be exercised over an offender released on probation encourages the courts to adopt that course if at all appropriate, and the small proportion of recidivism indicates that the system is a real aid to the offender himself, he explained. i Generally speaking, the probationary system of New Zealand is more up to date than that of any. other country, Mr McLachlan s.aid when asked to comment on the report, but it could be improved upon by a little more cq-operation between justices and ; magistrates admitting offenders to probation and employers of probationers as. well as probation officers. “For every 100 offenders admitted to probation about 90 are not heard of again after their probationary term expires, and it would be interesting to know more of their activities as citizens, to see the exact benefit derived from having received the privileges of probation,” he added. Of the 10 per cent, who come back before the court a few are admitted to probation a second or even third time and eventually make good. Sometimes an old offender who has sei'ved several..terms of imprisonment is convicted and called upon within a given period, and this course has the virtual- effect of placing him on probation, even effecting a complete cure for the criminal tendency of a number of offences.

It has been laid down by a former Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) that no first offender should he sentenced to imprisonment unless a report from a probation officer is submitted to show that the offender is unsuitable for probation.