AFTER SENTENCE

Evening Star, Issue 18334, 23 July 1923, Page 8

AFTER SENTENCE

. NEW SYSTEM OF RELEASE. CRIMINAL REFORM. It is t quito usual for it to bo reported that a prisoner is sentenced for some misdeed or other to imprisonment with hard labor or to some other form of punishment, but few know what is the aftereffect (says the Wellington ‘Post’), while a great number of people marvel to see men out of gaol so soon as they sometimes appear to bo. In the earlier days of tho present century it was usual for a prisoner, in tho event of his behaviour having been good, to be released after ho had spent some thre-c-quartorfi of his sentence in gaol; but the system lias changed in recent years, and it is now but seldom that a prisoner ia discharged before he. has nearly or has fully completed his sentence. This docs not mean that the prisoner is in gaol all the time, but he is not released or discharged. The present position was explained to tho Wellington Justices’ Association by Mr C. E. 'Matthews, chief probation officer, in an address lie gave before them on the subject of prison reform. Ho said that the 1910 Act first jwpvided for the sotting up of the responsible Txvard known as the Prisons Board, vested with the power to release or discharge prisoners. Prior to the passing of this Act all tho discharges of prisoners were on an automatic basis, the dates of release depending on the earning of remission marks, and this meant that ail prisoners who managed 1 to keep out of trouble were automatically released when three-quarters of their sentences had expired. WORK OP PRISONS BOARD. From the date of its inception'the work of the board had had tho most important bearing on the treatment of prisoners. As could bo readily understood, the desire of every prisoner was to secure his release, whether it was on probation or by final discharge, and naturally the formation of a board with the full power to recommend release or discharge had a most important bearing in the control and management of the prisoners themselves. It was not until 1917 tha.t the hard labor prisoners were also placed under the control of the board so far as release and discharge were conccniedi The work of the board became so bard that the meetings had to bo doubled in number. The majority of the meetings were held in Wellington, but once every year the members of tho board-visited every institution and camp. The vast number of men released on probation completed their period without further trouble. Usually the hoard’s powers of recommendations wore exorc isecl only on a definite system as to tho proportion of his son tone© a prisoner must serve before ho was eligible for consideration, but in cases that appeared to merit earlier consideration the board was always prepared to review a sentence, and, if it deemed it wise (o do so, to recommend immediate release on probation or discharge, even if a long sentence had only run a, few months. DISCHARGED MEN UNDER CONTROL.

Under the old r.ysfem, where a man was discharged on three-quarters of Ids sentence having expired, ho at cure became free of all control, except that of the police, and could sink nr swim, make good or offend again, without inlerk-rence. Under the board system few prisoners were discharged absohtcly unless their sentences had nearly expired. The majority of those who worked and behaved in such a manner that there appeared to be- a probability of their making good were often released npen prrbidion soon after half their sentences had expired. They were still under control, however, and (hen liberty was dependent on their good behaviour and industry. Each prisoner reported frequently to tho probation t fficer in his district, and the probation officer kept the. probationer under observation, assisted him to obta’u employment, and generally to lead a selfrespecting life. If renditions of probation were flagrantly broken, and it was derided after warning that tho probationer was unfit for fur Jut trust, he was returned to prison (o learn his lesson. It was a common fallacy that under the Prisons Board system the men served too short a time—that '.hey were given then freedom much too soon. Their freedom was limited, their liberty ’onditmnal. and tlreir reliability was tested The Prisons Board had been in operation fer gome twelve years and -.villi its concomitant, the probation system, had proved a mns* effective method of dealing with that most important phase if prison adaiimst/ation, (he review and adjustment of sentences. Each case was carefully considered on itc merits, with all possible, information in connection with ’ho man’s history. Even the question of employment after release was investigati cl. livery possibility with regard to his vwbabl© chances of rehabilitation was considered. WAGES FOR PRISONERS.

In 1920 was inaugurated one of the most important departures that had ever taken place in prisons administraLon, fit npr in New Zealand or elsewhere Tn that year, in view of the advance in tho financial position of the department—the production of a substantial revenue where previously there had been no revenue at all—-tho Government decided to pay a small wage to all prisoners who, prior to their committal, had wives, families, or others dependent upon iliem. The amount to bo paid was Ihs 5d per - week, rising to 22s 6(1 per week after the thud month. The amount was small, hut tins vfas necessary ;d '.he incepaon. or the scheme wou'u have broken down under its own weight Usually the man’s wife, or his other dependents, were the worst sufferers. They were often in a destitute condition, and it was considered that in view of Urn averajc prisoner having hecomo to some extent, self supporting, it was only com. mon justice that his dependents should benefit, from the result of his labor.