Criminal Violence

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31152, 31 August 1966, Page 12

Criminal Violence

Sir, —“The Press” is to be congratulated on its editorial on criminal violence. At the same time, some changes are probably desirable. At the prison level, skilled psychologists should probably be given full charge of difficult or potentially dangerous prisoners, thereby relieving ordinary warders of some of their anxieties. On a national scale, there is an urgent need for better prevention services,

for psychologists at secondary schools, for special classes for potential delinquents, and for reform of the law to make a fully scientific system of rewards and punishments possible. By such means the apparent upsurge of violence could be largely reversed, and the injury rate among policemen and warders would then probably fall below that of factory employees, farmers, and the average worker. Machines are inherently more dangerous than people, if people are properly handled. —Yours, MARK D. SADLER. August 30, 1966. Sir, —“The Press” is to be commended on its leader on criminal violence. The return of the death penalty and flogging is far from the answer. I feel strongly that police and prison officers must be better protected against violence and threats of violence, but other measures must be found. Taking a step back into the Dark Ages will not help. We have an enlightened penal policy. That mistakes are being made in the implementation of this policy is a matter of argument. This sort of thing happens in many fields of human activity where new policies are tried. Various types of prisoners require various types of treatment. The facilities are not here for the proper implementation of the department’s policy as yet. But, above all, humane and understanding methods are required in the treatment of all prisoners. This is fundamental in an enlightened society.— Yours, etc., PRISON OFFICER. August 30, 1966. Sir, —Sixteen murders and three attempted murders this y ear —so far! The answer is obvious: bring back capital punishment. There is little doubt that this would act as a strong deterrent to many, would-be killers. The unlikely chance that an innocent man might be hanged would be easily outweighed by the undoubted fact that the lives of many innocent victims would be saved if capital punishment were re-introduced. —Yours, LIFE-SAVER. August 26, 1966.