PROBATION SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 1 February 1926, Page 9

PROBATION SYSTEM.

NEED FOR FULL-TIME OFICERS

TO OBTAIN BE£T RESULTS.

VALUE OF BORSTAL TRAINING.

'"In Auckland at the present time, a great work is being done by the probation officers, as this city is extremely fortunate in having officials thoroughly fitted for the positions. But I consider that the time has now come for the appointment of men and women to the positions of probation officers, especially in the large centres, who will be able to devote the whole of their time to the care of the probationers under their charge." After 41 years in the service of the Prisons Department. during which time he has devoted much attention to reform systems. Mr. Michael Hawkins, who retires to-day from the position of Controller-General of Prisons and Chief Probation Officer of New Zealand, has arrived at the above conclusion. He made the statement to a "Star" reporter during the course of an exclusive interview. "I am a firm believer in the probation system." said Mr. Hawkins. ■'During my forty years among prisons and prisoners, I am firmly convinced that the Probation Act, if wisely and care- ' fully administered, is one of the finest I things ever introduced. Supervision Needed.

'"To my mind, the success ur nonsuccess of probation is dependent largely j upon the supervision exercised by the probation officers after a man or woman has been admitted. Probationers should realise that, in being given probation, they are being provided with an opportunity to make good, and they should not be allowed to treat lightly the conditions of their release. "There is a tendency among a large number of people released on probation to treat the concession in a perfunctory manner. This, to my mind, is the great danger of the system. At the present time, probationers have to call upon tbe probation officers and report themselves at monthly periods. Consequently, providing the probationer reports once a month—which he or she often fails to do—little is done to see how he or she spends his or her time. The probation officer, if a full-time official, should visit frequently the probationers in their homes to satisfy himself that those released are really complying with the terms of their probation. If this were done, many of the lapses which take place could be avoided. For instance, if a probationer fails to report on a certain date, the officer should look him up, inquire as to the cause of the breach and satisfy himself that the terms are not being flouted. It is no portion of a parttime officer's duty to do this, and while the-nipu engaged in the work in Aucklaml are fitted in every way for their I positions, and do their best under the i circumstances, getting wonderful results. ■ until they arc able to devote the whole 'of their time to the work. I consider j that they will not get the best out of I the probation system. It is farcical to i put a man on probation and have no '• one to see that he carries ovit the I terms." Mr. Hawkins said that if full-time men were appointed, the Government would bo repaid handsomely by results . and also by thy sreatpr amount of restitution that would be paid in under proper supervision. Ho paid a great trii bute to the excellent work done by i Major Annie Gordon > female probation ■ officeri and Messrs. W. J. Campbell and Anderson. No person. said Mr. ; Hawkins, should be -ent to prison until every other method of reform had failed. I The Borstal System.

I Mr. Hawkins was one of the originai tors of the Borstal system in New Zealand. As a result of his experiences among the youths at the Invercargill I institution, he felt that something should ihe done on similar lines to the Rorstal system in England. For the last eight 'or ten years. Invercargill had been called a Borstal Institute and was conducted ion Borstal lines. 15ut there had really i been no legislating machine behind it I and it was found necessary in 1024 to ! put through the House, a Borstal and Prej vention of Crimes Bill, which set aside ■ the Invercargill reformatory for the ! treatment of young offenders up to the I age of 23 years. After a very short ' experience it was found that, in order to j obtain better results, it was necessary to make a further division of the age , limit. Cabinet then decided that the { Invercargill institution should be set 1 aside for the treatment of youths bej tween the ages of 13 and 20 years, and I declared Waikeria. a Borstal Institute i for youths between the ages of 20 and 25, j while at Point Halswell. Wellington, a i BorstaT Institute was established for the j treatment of girls between the ages of j 1.1 and 2.1. There are about ISO youths lat Invercargill at the present time and ■ about 100 at Waikeria. while there are I over 50 at Point Halswell. On the Right Lines.\ Run on the system of the institutes at Home, the class of treatment was on I the right lines, said Air. Hawkins. It was very essential that young offenders should be segregated from the old and hardeued criminals. His experience had 1 taught him that the best results were i obtained with youths between the ages iof 15 and 20. With those up to 25, the i j chances were still fairly good, but once j over that age. the chances of reform diminished rapidly. "I am firmly of i opinion that the earlier the beginning. J the better the results."' said Mr. ! Hawkins. Taking as a basis, the last ten years. during which period there had been ■ about 200 inmates in the Borstal, the i j number of offenders who had been re- . I turned to the institution or had been > i convicted again, averaged only about six I 1 per cent. That spoke volumes for the . ! system. . '. "The Borstal system has comp to . I stay. , ' concluded Mr. Hawkins, "and it . i should be extended and encouraged by _ i every possible means."' i I ioJKlh w-t-iM