VIEWS OF HOWARD LEAGUE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 25 November 1943, Page 4

VIEWS OF HOWARD LEAGUE

SYSTEM STILL CONSIDERED PUNITIVE Auckland, Nov. 24. The Dominion executive of the New Zealand Howard League for penal reform to-day issued the following statement: — “The recent controversy between Dr. McMillan and Sir Hubert Ostler on the Now Zealand prisons has added to the public disquiet concernihg the Dominion’s penal system. The Howard League wishes to place before the public the results of its observations and consideration of the available evidence. “1. The league in convinced that Dr. McMillan as Minister in Charge of Prisons made a genuine attempt to improve matters. The league regrets the shortness of his term of office.

“2. Sir Hubert Ostler gives as his qualifications to comment on penal matters that he served for 18 years as judge, and the last four years as | chairman of the Prisons Board. His i judgeship entitles him to be heard with ' respect on matters of lav/, but his chairmanship of the Prisons Board in itself is no guarantee that he possesses un- i derstanding either of modern reformative methods or of the life of prison in- ■ mates. Moreover, the Prisons Board. I which is a sentence-reviewing body, is ■ guided in its decision?- mainly by official j j reports from the Controller-General I i of Prisons and his subordinates. Plain- ! ; ly the only tribunal reasonably com- ! ! petent to say whether character has de- \ j generated or regenerated during a i I period of imprisonment is a psychiatric 1 ! clinic or similarly constituted body. “3. Sir Hubert Ostler knows perfectly I well that protection of the public is the j avowed object of every intelligent ! penologist. "4. The whole evidence to-day .sup- j I ports reformative rather than punitive i ; treatment as the scientific method of j ; handling anti-social cases. “5. The basis of reformation is proper i diagnosis and right treatment. The ' c; uses of maladjustment leading to ! crime demand careful study of the in- i dividual. The Howard League x’e';ards ! the provision of proper psychiatric fa- j eilities and the appointment of a scien t Ifi ca lly - train ed staff with treatment. ! and not the punishment point of view. ! as the key to an improved penal system. | "6: The league believes that our system is still essentially .pi itive and says I there is no justification for Sir Hubert j Ostler's optimism aboui it. Optimism | can be justified only by scientific - diagnosis and machinery for individual treatment. “7. The league declares that the whole j question of penal reform in New Zea-| land should be referred to a commission of inquiry as recommended to the : Government by the House of Represen tr.tives in 1939.”—P.A.