PRISON STATISTICS

Evening Star, Issue 21220, 29 September 1932, Page 3

PRISON STATISTICS

SHORT SENTENCE FALLACY REFORMATIVE DETENTION THE BEST DETERRENT (From Our I’arliamextary Uf.l’Orter.) WELLINGTON. September 26. On the ground that .short .sentences are quite ineffective as a deterrent in .such cases, the Controller-General ot Prisons (Mr li. L. pallard), in his annual report to Parliament, suggests, as a means of protecting society from the menace of those who arc continually coming in conflict with the law. the utilisation of the existing statutory provisions to declare these persons “habitual offenders.” Dealing with the statistics for the year Mr Dallard notes the reflex of the depression in the increase of 413 in committals for the year. The total committals were 5.430, which included 1,832 for drunkenness, vagrancy v and other offences, and 1.155 offences against property. The ratio to population was 21.17" per ten thousand, as against 19.19 in tho previous year. Of tin; 3.203 distinct persons received, only 059 prisoners received sentences ol twelve months or over. One-third of the total sentences wore for terms of less than one month ; over half were for less than three'months ; and nearly three-quarters for loss than six months. “ These figures,” states the report. “ show that the proportion of grave offences is not large, and demonstrate, in addition, that the prison population is mainly comprised of petty recidivists who are repeatedly in and out of prison. They indicate also that short terms of imprisonment arc quite ineffective as a moans of deterring this class of offender from crime; This applies particularly to young offenders in whose cases short terms do not more than dull the edge of initial repugnance to the idea of imprisonment, ami thereby lessen its deterrent effect; besides which a short terra does not give sufficient time to put into effect any system of practical training and discipline.” More effective moans of protecting society from the menace of those who are habitually coming in conflict with the law would be to utilise the existing statutory provisions for declaring such persons to be habitual offenders. Ibis undoubtedly would be a greater deterrent than the present method of treatment, and would save the expense of repeatedly bringing them before the courts. It would tend to rid the larger towns of the “ .Stage army ” of vagrants and petty criminals, who to-day overcrowd tho city prisons. Ihe adoption of this course would enable the department to transfer this class of offender to farm camps, or other suitable institutions. At present, on account of the short sentences involved, the cost of transfer is not justified. “Offenders when appearing before the courts for sentence frequently ask for a 1 short, snappy terra ot hard labour ’ to be imposed in preference to reformative detention. Their objective is only too obvious. Both experience. and the small percentage who offend again of 1 those released after serving sentences of reformative-deten-tion,. show that this form of treatment is an effective deterrent, and a more satisfactory way of dealing with offenders than ’ sentencing them to short terms of hard labour.