Corrective training

Press, 13 July 1981, Page 16

Corrective training

Sir,—Would the Secretary for Justice please explain the reasoning behind his new policy, since April 1, on corrective training? While it is one thing to impose a rigorous physical programme on young offenders, how can the cuts in educational and counselling services be justified? How does 12 hours a day of manual labour and P.T., alone, “correct" illiteracy, a broken home life, poor work skills or unemployment? Is the Justice Department making a bid, this being election year, to pacify its critics? I concede there is little political mileage to be made by prison reform but I challenge the introduction of a “political” detention. And I wonder whether a deliberate withdrawal of help is the most appropriate way to recognise the “Year of the Disabled.”— Yours, etc., JOHN BRUERTON. June 26, 1981.

[Mr B. J. Cameron, for the Secretary for Justice, replies: "The purpose of the corrective training sentence has been determined by the Government. which has made it clear that the sentence is to be of a punitive nature. It is a successor to detention centre training, which was also designed to be of that character. The sentence is different from imprisonment and is intended to be seen as such by the courts which impose it, those who receive it and those who administer it. In essence, its objective is to reduce reoffending by the experience of a punitive but fair sentence. The activities provided reflect this. Inmates are subjected to an exacting regime with the emphasis on fast tempo and alertness. There is a programme of counselling and social skills training designed to assist the inmate on his release. This is regarded as important but secondary to the basic purpose. Not a great deal in the way of education and remedial work can in any event be accomplished with what is in effect a two months sentence. Your correspondent is wide of the mark in talking of 12 hours manual work and P.T. a day. The daily timetable (Monday to Saturday) includes seven hours of work, plus a confidence course or similar constructive physical activity. Evenings are devoted to lectures, discussion and counselling. If necessary these can also take place during the day. The effectiveness of the sentence in preventing reoffending will be monitored and evaluated by the Department of Justice. Moreover, the whole range of penalties available to the courts is now being examined by the Penal Policy Review Committee whose chairman is Mr Justice Casey.”]