PRISONS REPORT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 7

PRISONS REPORT

THE CLASSIFICATION SCHEME

DEALING WITH HABITUAL CRIMINALS

The thirty-sixth annual report of tho Prisons Department states that there has been a slight decrease in tho prison population compared with tho daily average for tho previous twelve months. Owing to tho depletion of staffs consequent upon war conditions, the position has now becomo so acute that no further eligible men can he spared from tho ranks if the efficiency of the'.Department's control and management is to be maintained. "

In compliance with the Minister's instructions, regulations havo been.drafted providing for an improved classification; for the 'removal of anomalies in ctt|nection with tho treatment of remand and trial prisoners, debtors, first-class misdemeanants, and ■ prisoners sentenced to imprisonment without hard labour; for a differentiation between tno treatment of first offenders and those who have served previous sentences; and for the management and government of a Borstal institution.

An improvement in the general conditions tending to humanize some of the older prison methods has already been made, as personally directed l>y the Minister after his initial visit to the prisons of the Dominion.

Tho daily average number of prisoners in New Zealand for the year was 9t3, a reduction of ojily 65, or shout 8.4 per cent. The English returns show t;.at the prison population decreased by nearly 57 per cent, between the year 1013-11 and tho year 1915-16, but ill New Zealand tho figures for lillß are in excess ot those for 1913, the daily average for the earlior year being 893. During the first six months of 1917 thero was a slight reduction in the New Zealand daily averago compared-with 1916, but even now tho figures merely approximate to those of 1912. "Unfortunately," 6ays tlio report, "1915 was a record year in the history of 'the Now Zealand prisons, and :n spito of the fact that a number of ex-prison-ers are known to have enlisted it does not appear as if our criminal population is likely to be reduced to a figure appreciably below that reached during the pro-war period. When tho war is oyer it is' to he feared that we shall have tho customary experienco after the cessation of all wars—a largo increase in tho number of persons committed to om 1 prisons." The reasons given for tho fall in tho English prison population do not, the report considers, operate in New Zealand, except tho enlistment of many habitual petty offenders.

Tho report states that the original intention of the provision for the payment of a small weekly wago to prisoners in tho classes named was that the bulk of .tho money should bo used to assist in the support of 'wives and children, fn practice it has been found that tho prisoners only avail themselves of this privilege to a very limited extent. Since tho first sitting of the board early in 19U until April of this year, 136 habitual criminals havo been released from prison on probation, lind four have boen discharged without probation. Of tho 13G reloascd, 23 havo been finally discharged after fulfilling tho conditions of their probation for a substantial term. Of the total number released and discharged from prison, 63 havo been subsequently reconvicted or have broken the term of thoir probation, and have been returned to prison, and 13 have absconded, 13 havo joined tho Expeditionary Forco (ono of \yhom has since returned, and been reconvicted), 13 havo left tho Dominion for tho countries or States to which they belong, or havo resumed their occupations as sailors, firemen, etc., three havo died, and one has been committed to a mental hospital. The remaining 31 habituals are still reporting to probation officers in difforent parts of tho Dominion/ It will thus be seon that of tho 340 men released or discharged by the board, 63 may bo said to havo failed to make good, while the position with regard to the 13 who absconded is uncertain. It is too soon .yet. tho report sav6. to. regard thoso figures as in any way final, in view of the fact that the men released in 1916 and 1917 havo not vot been fully tested, nor in the natural courso of things can any. statistics on this sub-, ject ever be final, but the data are'sufficient to demonstrate tho fact that a reasonable percentage of those who havo followed criminal careers during tho greater part of their lives have again becomo law-abiding members of the community.

The report states that from the Tem?.rfcs of the individual probation officers it is evident that there should be a linking-up between tho first offender probation system and the work that is now being initiated by the Minister in his capacity as Minister of Education in regard to tho more juvenilo members of the community who come moro immediately under tho jurisdiction of the officers of tho Education Department. It is hoped that with adequate co-operation hetween tho officers of both Departments satisfactory results will accrue.

There were 125 persons placed on probation in 1916, compared with 93 in 1915. Of thoso released upon probation, 21 havo completed their terms' -without relapse. ' Statistics at. the end of the report show that the number of persons in prison at tlio beginning of 'the year comprised 916 males and 82 females, the number received during tho year consisted of 4128 males and 505 females, tho number! discharged or transferred 4536 males and 505 females, and tho number in prison at tho end of the year 808 males and 82 females. The distinct-convicted prisoners (exclusive of Maoris) had their birthplaces classified as follow:—

Males. Females. England and Wales KG 3i Scotland IDI 8 Ireland 219 3i New Zealand ;..... 7!)3 133 Australian States 188 21 Oilier British possessions... 37 2 China 25 — Other countries 177 10 At sea : 4 X . Of these, 8(1 males and 13 females wcro between 15 and 21) years of age, ,lrtj males and 8 females ljehveen 20 and 25 years of ago, 2M males, and 26 females between 25 and 30 years of age, Gl3 males and 80 females between. 30 and 10 years of age, 518 males ami G2 females "ietween -10 and 50 years, 331 males and 38 females between 50 and GO years, and 101 males and 10 females GO years of ago and over.

A Turkish proverb says, commisei'atingly, "An Englishman will burn ' a bed lo catch a ilea.'' The courago of the Turk in facing the Ilea, and even worse dangers, with stoical disregard of pain is humorously explained by tlio author in tlio languago of a schoolboy essayist: "Tlio Turk's courago is duo to the fact that a man with moro than ono wifo is more willing to fate death than if ho had only one."