PRISON REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 6

PRISON REFORM.

LECTURE BY THE HON. DR. FINDLAY. MODERN METHODS. . (BY TI.LEOIUJ'V-PIIESS ASSOCIATION.) Dunedin, March 19. Under the atispiws of the Dunedin Prison Reform Society, the Hon. Dr. Findlay delivered a lecture to-night in tho Art Gallery on "Prison Reform." There was a largo attendance. In the course of an address, occupying an hour and a half, Dr. Findlay said that ns a deterrent either upon genuine fsrsf offeudar or an habitual criminal merely length of imprisonment had little effect. He was not under-valuing imprisonment as an agent of protection to society. On tho contrary it would be in the best interests of society, if a number of men now in the gaols who have proved themselves to bo incurable criminals were kept in detention for the rest of their lives. What ho desired to make clear-was that people greatly overestimated the deterrent efficacy of long imprisonment,and greatly under-estimated, or .wholly ignored, the pernicious influences it had on certain classes of offenders. Imprisonment might serve one of threo purposesr (a) It might he employed purely as a punishment; and this punishment may be imposed either from motives of hatred of the criminal —that is of revenge, upon him for his offence against society—or from motives of deterring him and others through fear of tho penalty from; further offerees, (b) It might do employed for tho purposes of reforming the offender, (c) It might be imposed to protect society from incurablo offenders by keeping them locked up. The real progress aimed at was reduction of crime. The reduction of crime was best effected by the reduction of recidivists. The reduction of recidivists could be best secured by scientific reformative treatment, and if this were conceded they had established the fullest- justifications for modern prison reform. Henceforth, it would bo the reformation of the prisoner, not his punishment, which would be the dominant motive. They would regard, not so much tho offence as the offender. A broad feature that marked all advanced systems of prison reform was classification. In addition to classification :certain general principles of reformative treatment might tie'laid down. Tho criminal might be reformed .by (1) proper classification, (2) punishment in proper; cases. (3) discipline, submission to regulations and rules of'right conduct; building up habit;.(4) treatment involving physical and' mental; development : (5). teaching, -including -. agricultural and industrial training.and mental and moral improvement; (6) kindness and. encouragement 'wheft! deserved' or necessary; (7) timely release on parole when his determination and capacity, to 'lead'a better, life are' ripe, and when- further; imprisonment would only discourage him and harden him by,'despair; (8). ajd and friendly 'advice, and supervision after his release; (9) - unlimited detention in-gaol of -those.', of. continued criminality, whose release would be dangerous to society, i.e., the, .indeterminate sentence; (10) by a proper selection; education, and'training of warders • and; gaolers. . Dr. Findlay was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.'