MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 May 1925, Page 7

MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

AND SEXUAL OFEFNDERS. COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS. DRASTIC ACTION PROPOSED. The committee of Inquiry appointed by the Minister of Health to inquire into the report upon the necessity for special care and treatment of mental defectives and sexual offenders in New Zealand has completed the report of its findings, which are now released for publication. The committee finds: (1) Unchecked multiplication is loading to continually growing addition to sum of human misery, ever increasing burden on State, and serious deterioration of race.

(2) It would bo sound economy, as well as in best interests of humanity, to deal with problem at once, even though involving substantial expenditure. The committee recommends:

(F) Addition to Act of “moral imbecile,” a definition in English Act. (2) Establishment of special branch Mental Hospitals Department to deal with mental-defectives not inmates of mental hospitals, and to act as “after arc” department to look after patients discharged from mental hospitals. (3) Appointment of Eugenics Board. (4) Registration under direction of the board.

(o) Care of backward and feebleminded children in educational stage to remain duty of Education Department.

(6) Education Department to obtain services of psychological experts in connection with study of individual children in school.

(7) Fuller provision in universities and colleges for education. of teachers ■n child psychology and training for work in special schools. (8) Full use of residential special schools of cases of benefiting by special classes, but capable of training in manual work for handicrafts. (9) Education Department to report to Eugenic Board on cases not benelitmg from residence in special schools, such children to be registered if deemed necessary. (10) Eugenic Board to have power to order removal of feeble-minded and moral imbeciles to farm or industrial colony. (11) Right of appeal against registration, etc. (12) Establishment of farm or industrial colonies for such cases as may be profitably employed. (13) Sterilisation. Operation in men can be caried out under local anaesthesia, and is free from risk, Analogous operation in women in abdominal operation, but risk not considered serious. In cases of persons who in their own interests and interests of ethers ought not to be allowed to reproduce; operation of sterilisation should be considered by Eugenic Board. (14) 'Eugenic Board to nave power to make Sterilisation a condition of release, or removal of name from .register, but in no case should operation be performed without consent oi parents or guardians. (1.5) Persons operated upon ‘.o be released on probation under supervision’, and if relapse is shown to be returned to institutional care and discretion of board.

(T(5) Marriage with registered persons to be made illegal, and should be indictable oll'ence to have carnal knowledge of registered person. (17) Further precautions in the way of inquiry and supervision e ver assisted immigrants and ordinary passengers. The report gives a special section on the subject of children's courts. It states that several witnesses pointed out the need of establishment of special courts for children and juveniles.

The committee recommends that such provisions be made, and also that clinics be established prov.inding for physical and physiological examination of all children coming under the jurisdiction of these courts. The fuller

knowledge thus acquired would he ex- ' tremely valuable to the authorities deal ing with children. Many countries recognised this need and have established properly constituted courts for dealing with children and juveniles as apart and distinct from police courts. The committee then dealt with part two of the order of reference, sexual offenders, and made . the following recommendations: — (1) Amendment of Crimes Act, giving Court full discretion whether sentences shall be definite or indeterminate. (2) Prisons Board to have power of recommendation for release upon probation or discharge of prisoners under indeterminate sentences as they now have, in regard to other prisoners. (3) Appointment of psychiatrist to advise Prisons Department. (4) Prisons Board to be advised by Eugenic Board as to release or discharge of sexual or feeble-minded offenders. (5) The committee feel that information at present available .in regard to sterilisation or desexualisation of sexual offenders is inadequate to permit of sound and final judgment as .to the value of this procedure, and recommended whole question to be remitted or careful investigation by the Eugenic Board proposed to be set up.