SLIPPING BACK TO CRIME

Evening Star, Issue 19268, 5 June 1926, Page 4

SLIPPING BACK TO CRIME

MENTAL INSTABILITY GENERALLY THE CAUSE [Special to thk ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, June 5. Afc the annual meeting of the Prison Gate Mission a discussion on recidivism among prisoners was hold. Jt was pointed out that nearly all recidivists show signs of nervous instability, and of weakness of mentality, which mauifectod itself in various crimes. It was decided that the Minister of Justice he urged to consider favorably the question of mentally abnormal criminals, and the appointment of a specialist in nervous diseases and psychopathy to examine prisoners before and after sentence, and advise as to their treatment. The President (Mr S. E. M'Carthy) moved, and it was carried—“ That now' that the principle of payment of maintenance money to prisoners’ dependents out of a prisoner’s earnings was well established, the Minister he asked to allow such payments to he made from the commencement of prisoner’s sentence, instead of after three months of the sentence has been served.” It was decided that the Minister he requested to amend the law so that whore n magistrate is of opinion that a husband’s failure to maintain his wife and children is duo to perversity, the magistrate he given power to snllict an indeterminate sentence.