“HONOUR SYSTEM”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 270, 20 August 1925, Page 9

“HONOUR SYSTEM”

EXPERIMENT IN VICTORIAN GAOLS PRISONERS’ UNDERTAKING NOT TO ESCAPE ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL By Telegraph— i’hess Association Copyright Melbourne, August. 19. The Penal Department is conducting an experiment in what is known as the “honour system.” It consists m placing certain prisoners on their honour not to escape. ’ So far it has been entirely successtul. One case is quoted in which a prisoner who was serving a sentence ot twelve months’ hard labour tor manslaughter, and whose wife was very ill in the hospital and incessantly calling for him, was allowed by the prison authorities to visit her. He stayed at the hospital for five days and nights, unguarded, until his wife had recovered, and then returned to the prison.

In a second case a pitsoner who had an indeterminate sentence for having played a leading part in the hold-up of the Middle Park branch of the English, Scottish, and Australian Bank in 1916 was noted for good conduct. His sight began to fail, and he was taken to a hospital, accompanied by a warder, for an operation to his eyes. There he lay in bed for nearly a month, unguarded. When he recovered he returned to the prison. The hospital authorities were under no obligation to guard the prisoners. When these instances were reported at the prison several other prisoners developed mysterious complaints, but they were not allowed to visit the hospital on trust.—Press Assn.