JUDGE JOHNSTON ON OUR PENAL SYSTEM.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3131, 11 July 1881, Page 4

JUDGE JOHNSTON ON OUR PENAL SYSTEM.

Bis Ho .:>r, in his address at the Si.pre»ie Court, tit) other day dwelt largely up i> the rive of robbery, with or witho i' vk)ie".j'\ ('ruin the person, which he si '.v-;.•■, .:-. ssu !..f prosperity rather than depr :..cr ; . : «s! ; d: The law as it stands is ■.■• ;■■>:,'.■;. jii'.-'.i criminal*. The senten -:■ ■ ?-rt> ;i- '■'.■•::.\ not, deterrent but they are . t it i\:v; -K-p»vt reformatory. In these t-vo points we certainly lay far" behind the ot'ier countritv.: of the world. It is a much m re serious thing than people are disposed to consider :t on a superficial view. While we very properly spend a large amount of money in education to improve the moral tone of the community, we are, I fear allowing pereons already engaged in crime to go unpunished. I trust that the investigation now taking place will lead the public mind to recognise the absolute necessity for dealing with this matter in a substantial manner. No doubt much has been effected of Lite, and everything that could be done has been done to improve the management of the penal syotetn during the last few years, but the physical resonraes of the establishments are quite inadequate. They have not room enough to provide means for the separate treatment of prisoners, without which it is the experience of all persons acquainted with the modern system that no sound reformation can be secured. Wβ are unfortunately obliged to associate the gr e aitwii criminals with those who have only leoently engaged in crime. Also, with regard to juvenile offenders, there is no means of keeping them from contamination. lam sure that this needs only to be mentioned to call the attention of the public to its importance. Having large experience and a special acquaintance f or4o years of the work of penal establishments, I cannot pass from this subject without expressing the hope that we shall be able to make rapid advance within a short period. It can hardly be said that anyone is to blame, as the resourses of this young colony have been taxed to the utmost, but as we see now that intelligence and public opinion are directed to this matter, we may very well hope that ere long some substantial steps will be taken to make our penal system more effective than it is. I should consider it a dereliction of duty were I not to refer to this, considering tbe vast discretion of a Judge. I hope Ishallnotbe misunderstood when I say that there is at present many avoidable evils, but I believe those responsible are doing their very best with tho means at their disposal. I hope the days are not far distant when means of separation of criminalsl can be adopted by which the demoralization of yoxmger and less experienced criminals will be avoided, and the establishment of anything like a criminal class will be prevented.