PRISON REFORM.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13683, 17 March 1910, Page 6

PRISON REFORM.

The outline that Dr. Findlay has given of his extensive scheme of prison reform is sufncier.t to ensure careful and sym pathetic consideration for the full proposals whenever lie chooses to make them public. So far as they have been stated they must meet with gener.il approval. The principles by which the Minister has been guided are, apparently, better classification, which underlies the whole question of prison reform, and the moral and physical improvement of tho prisoners. Punishment is by no means eliminated from tlie treatment of convicted" law-breakers, but it no longer remains the only course of treatment, and under the proposed policy prisons and what may bo termed affiliated institutions are to become places where prisoners will not merely ' : dree their weird" by doing penance for their offences, but will have the opportunity of becoming better men and women. Whether •'•hey accept the opportunity will rest with themselves; even Dr. Findlay, with all his reformer's enthusiasm, cannot do more than offer to the occupants of our gaols the way to a more useful and more honest life. The proposed institution for sexual perverts and criminals of unsound mind is, unfortunately, sadly needed, and its establishment will relieve the authorities of existing institutions of some difficult problems. No less necessary is some place to which incorrigible drunkards may be consigned. Pakatoa, whither habitual drunkards are now sent, serves an extremely useful purpose, but Dr. Findlay's statement suggests that he has in mind the establishment of some institution for cases that not even a two-years' term at Pakatoa would benefit. The system of prison camps is to bo extended, so as to embrace other industries than tree-planting, among those mentioned being stone-quarrying, and making bricks and cement. Allied with this project is the intention to employ, in various occupations, all prisoners who are physically capable of work, by which they will earn credit marks having a monetary value. On being released they will receive the money they have earned during their term of imprisonment, less t'ho amount that has been aprJied in the interim to the relief of those dependent on them. This is an excellent provision, by which the prisoner is not merely compiled to work out his moral and physical salvation, but is made to relieve the State of some of the cost of maintaining his family, which, in his absence, it might have to undertake. An attempt is to be made to afford to illiterate prisoners the elements of education, and a large farm is to be provided, which is to be used as an .agricultural Reformatory. Dr. Findlay believes that the whole scheme when in full working order will be considernlly less costly than the present system. Wo trust this will be tho case. But oven if no immediate saving in cash expenditure is effected, the scheme has much to commend it. It is said that tho worst use that can be made of a man is to put him in gaol. Unfortunately, gaol is the only possible place for some men; for the others who find themselves behind bars, a sentence of imprisonment under rational treatment may prove to be the best thing that can happen to them. In the end the State must save money on every man who _ induced to forsake bad -ways and live a decent life of industry.