Chaplain Defends Aid System For Prisoners

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 14

Chaplain Defends Aid System For Prisoners

/New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Sept. 8. Any prisoner in New Zealand who sincerely wished to reform was receiving all the aid possible to that end, said Father L.• V. Downey, senior Roman Catholic prison chaplain. “I’m satisfied that the New Zealand prison administration copes honestly and effectively with its task,” he told the Roman Catholic Prison Chaplains’ conference today. “I’m satisfied that any flaw or abuse in this administration is grappled with tenacity and no effort is spared to keep faith with society.” Society had a right to be assured that every effort was being exercised to prepare prisoners for release, he said.

“Any criticism or condemnation of penal policy should be based on the general background of such a policy and should state all the facts. “In every penal institution

in New Zealand—and I know! them well—there are men and women from the Justice De-' partment, experts in the sciences, chaplains of all faiths, official visitors, respected men and women of the local communities, who are all of one mind in the pursuit of preparing prisoners for purposeful life in full society,” said Father Downey.