A DETERRENT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 14

A DETERRENT

ESCAPING PRISONERS

SENTENCE AT AUCKLAND

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, August 27.

"There lias been almost an epidemic of escaping from prison cumps. These arc offences which causa considerable expense and trouble to the prison authorities in scattered districts where camps are, and also anxiety among the community in the vicinity," said Mr. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, when Charles Mitchell Newman was brought before Mr. Justice Fair at the Supreme Court 'for' sentence for escaping from the. prison camp at .Eangipo, near Tokaanu. "I respectfully suggest that in the past sentences have not been a great deterrent," he added.

His Honour: Escape affects the re duution in sentence for good ba liaviour.

Mr. Meredith said that that was so to some extent, but suggested that the punishment should be such as would havo a deterrent effect and make prisoners in camps not so prone to escape as in the past.

His Honour said that prisoner was a young man and had been sentenced at Christchurch last Juno to three years' imprisonment, but after a month he escaped. Most prisoners recognised the virtues of good ■ conduct and that they were treated well in the prison camps. Tho best tiling which any prisoner could do was to submit to his sentence and reduce the punishment as much as ho could by good conduct. His Honour added that ho was bound to impose a sentence which would be a deterrent to prisoner and others. He would bo sentenced to a further term of 32 months' imprisonment.