N.Z. Efforts Against Child Crime Praised

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30856, 15 September 1965, Page 13

N.Z. Efforts Against Child Crime Praised

GVeto Zealand Prets Atsociation)

WELLINGTON, September 14.

New Zealand’s efforts to curb juvenile crime compared favourably with progress in other countries, the Secretary of Justice, Dr. J. L. Robson, said today.

He said this in addressing 1200 delegates from 90 countries at a recent United Nations Congress in Stockholm.

The congress was called to discuss the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders. Mr Robson said in an interview today it was significant that the congress spent a great deal of its nine-day deliberations on the subject of young offenders. “it was considered that special emphasis should be given to the task of teaching young people the responsible I use of freedom,” he said. ‘There was also need for more specific education in the values of society, in problems of social relationships and in the understanding of national objectives.” He said it was felt that education should include in its programme the inculcation of moral and spiritual values, and the role of religion in education was considered to be important. CONTROLS DECLINE “It was generally recognised that the decline in family controls springing from such factors as urbanisation, has had a pronounced bearing on the growth of delinquency and crime,” said Dr. Robson. “The family has to be strengthened in the urban setting and this is particularly true of families moving into that setting from the country areas.”

Speakers at the Congress repeatedly emphasised the role of the family as an essential social force in the prevention of delinquency. It was said that children could best

be influenced in the “face-to-face situation of a family.” In many countries the social services were concentrating more than ever on the family. “It was agreed that the more complex society becomes, the more difficult it is for the individual to abide by the law. It then becomes necessary to intensify the action of the community on each of its members in order Ito reduce the risks of criminality.

‘The congress noted that more reliance was being placed on legal action in an effort to off-set the decline in the control exercised by family, church, village and tribe. But a note of warning was struck about placing too much reliance on criminal actions.” Dr. Robson said it was also urged that efforts should be made to demonstrate more strongly that criminality is the direct concern of the community and of each of its members, not only for moral reasons but because of its economic consequences. The young adult group merits special attention because its potential could present social danger as well as unlimited opportunity for social development. ISRAELI SCHEME Dr. Robson said it was said youth responded to youth and reference was made to a scheme in Israel where youth initiated and carried out work with young delinquents. An application of the idea of youth responding to youth was the youth forum held in New Zealand last year.

Dr. Robson said the traditional institutional approach to the treatment of the young adult offender was consistently strongly criticised in congress.

Emphasis was placed on methods which could resolve the young adult’s delinquency problems within the community. Dr. Robson said New Zealand had work centres at Parnell and Lower Hutt. A third in Christchurch would begin soon.