CLASSIFYING PRISONERS

Evening Star, Issue 20472, 1 May 1930, Page 5

CLASSIFYING PRISONERS

GOOD RESULTS IN NEW ZEALAND HOWARD LEAGUE RESOLUTIONS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 30. With the addition “Wo also urge the establishment ot suitable institutions for oji'enders thus found _to bo feeble-minded or psychopathic or inebriate, with a view to giving such medical treatment or training as is possible,” the annual conference of the Howard League of New Zealand for Penal Reform endorsed the following remit, adopted by tho 1929 conference:—“Wo recognise with satisfaction that your department is seized with the necessity of a greater measure of classification. Wc appreciate, also, the provisions for classification recently made in certain prisons. As modern criminology, however, is concerned with scientific study by experts and individual treatment of offenders, wc consider that every prisoner should undergo scientific physical, mental, and social examination, and that, the classification outlined in tho late Minister's letter should bo amended to conform with modern scientific knowledge.” It was also resolved that a persistent effort bo made to give effect ) remit 3 of the 1928 conference:—“ Wo urge that some provision of law be made which, on tho complaint of a parent, guardian, or probation officer, will enable magistrates to bring under proper caro and supervision young persons over seventeen and under 21 years of ago without recording a conviction against them for any offence.” It was decided that t' > appointment of women police lie again urged upon tho Minister of Justice.

Relative to tho question of classification, Sir. Thomas Sidoy (Minister of Justice) said; “ I notice from earlier remits that have bee passed that tho league has advocated that ever, prisoner and probationer should be mentally examined. I am advised that it is neither necessary nor practicable to have every prisoner mentally examined. The greater percentage of prisoners show no indication whatever of mental impairment. The English Prison Commissioners do not attempt to have every prisoner mentally examined. '[’heir practice is to have such examination made only where there is some manifestation of mental defect. In tho Now Zealand prisons, the department follows a similar course, and eases arc frequently referred for examination by psychiatrists. In connection with tho general trend of crime in Now Zealand, it is satisfactory to note the gradual decline in the prison population. Tho figures for 1929, though not yet finished, show a still further downward trend.”

Tho greater use of alternative methods of treatment of offenders, such as the extended v> of probation, raid the Minister, was a matter which rested primaril with the judges and magistrates. Whilst lie was in accord with the fullest practical use of probation, be was satisfied that careful discretion was exercised by the judiciary in that matter. The best test of the effectiveness of our methods of prison treatment was the number of offenders who were returned to prison after release. With regard to the Borstals, the number who subsequently appeared before tho eon; ’; was less than 10 per cent., the lowest in tho world. In England oo per cent, ol successes was regarded as satisfactory. In regard to other forms of imprisonment, tho aim o'' which in recent years had been essentially reformative, it was interesting to note that, over a period of seventeen years past 79 per cent, of all persons sentenced to hard labour or reformative detention, and released on tho recommendation of the Prisons Board, had not lapsed subsequently, thereby showing that imprisonment had had a salutary effect.