Harsh penalties ‘will not reduce crime’

Press, 5 March 1987, Page 12

Harsh penalties ‘will not reduce crime’

By

JEFF HAMPTON

Harsher penalties are unlikely to bring down the crime rate, according to the retiring head of Paparua Prison, Mr Mitchell Leimon.

Mr Leimon, who will retire on Monday after 31 years in the Prison Service, said that the crime rate did not drop in countries with “hard, tough regimes.” “Our penal system still is tough,” said Mr Leimon, aged 59, whom inmates call “The Boss.”

“The punishment is being sent to prison and having to sever ties with family and friends.”

Mr Leimon said that the Criminal Justice Act, 1985, which was regarded by some people as “too liberal,” should be given a chance.

Critics have attacked some provisions of the act, such as the remission of half a prisoner’s sentence for good behaviour. “Let us give it a chance and see if it can achieve results,” he said. “In five years we should get the facts and figures and see whether it has worked.”

Mr Leimon was deputy superintendent of Paparua Prison for 16 years and superintendent for the last 18 months. Since joining the Justice Department in 1956 he has served at almost every prison south of Wellington

as well as the Tongariro Prison Farm. He is now responsible for 174 staff and almost 280 inmates at Paparua • and Christchurch prisons. He has been attacked by inmates and helped to defuse riots started by “stir crazy” prisoners but still says that he has enjoyed the work. “There is such variety — you meet people from all walks of life with different problems,” said Mr Leimon.

It was important for prison officers to be confident when dealing with inmates, otherwise they should not be in the job. “All you have when you walk into the wing are your keys and your personality.” For Mr, Leimon, one of the great tests was in August, 1974, when prisoners went on strike in protest about conditions at Paparua Prison.

Mr Leimon walked into the prison yard alone to negotiate with the prisoners. As a result, they promised no violence.

Three hours later, on a flight over the Pacific Ocean, Mr Leimon said that he felt “shaky” after realising the risk he had taken.

Mr Leimon, who is from Greenock, on the Firth of Clyde, said that his first love was always the sea.

He ran away from

home to join the Royal Navy at the age of 14 and spent four years at sea. A piece of shrapnnel hit him in the eye while he was serving in the s.s. Lyminge in the Mediterranean. He thought little of the injury at the time, but it later resulted in his being ruled unfit for active service. He came to New Zealand in 1948 and worked as a bridge builder and enameller before joining the Prison Service. Mr Leimon said that he had noticed a change in the behaviour of inmates over the years. “They are getting younger and younger and there are fewer ‘old lags’ who accepted the system and had basic principles,” he said. Inmates were more violent and gangs and drugs played a big part in the crime rate.

Mr Leimon said that he believed in maintaining high standards of discipline and cleanliness in prison. He also believed that prisoners should have the chance to join sports teams as it encouraged them to mix with other people.

Mr Leimon and his wife, Mrs Helen Leimon, will retire in Oxford.

His successor is Mr Dennis Pashley, who was formerly superintendent of Invercargill Prison.