BREAKING, ENTERING AND THEFT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 30 June 1939, Page 7

BREAKING, ENTERING AND THEFT

1 * FOUR YOUNG MEN DEALT WITH COMMENT BY HIS HONOUR I United Ppphs Assoc-iationl WELLINGTON. 29th June. "I think the time is approaching, if : it has not already been reached, when j this type of offence by youths will have i to be more severely dealt with in the j Courts,” said Mr Justice Reid, in the i Supreme Court after dealing with four | prisoners who had pleaded guilty to j charges of breaking, entering, and theft. : and whose ages ranged from 23 to 20. i “No doubt it is in the interests of the l individual offender that he can be kept away from contamination of prisoners j by the use of the First Offenders’ Probation Act. but it is really questionable ■ whether, in the genera* interests of the j public, particularly of the adolescent i part, that a general impression should I be created that a young man can safely | indulge at least once in what appears I to be the attractive crime of breaking | and entering, without punishment, j Such impression, if it gets abroad, will ; simply result in the creation of crimi- ! nals.” The knowledge that punishment | would follow the crime might deter young men on the brink, where probation would not be a sufficient deterrent.