CRITICISM OF PRISONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19677, 1 July 1927, Page 14

CRITICISM OF PRISONS.

COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND.

MOUNT EDEN A BAD EXAMPLE OBJECTS OF REFORM LEAGUE. FAIRNESS TO THE ACCUSED. New Zealand's penal code and prisons were the target for outspoken criticism at a meeting of the newly-fox-med Auckland branch of the Howard League of Penal Reform last evening. Mr. A. J. Stratford, president of the branch, gave a biography of the life of John Howard, the great English prison reformer, who devoted a lifetime to the study of prisons in his homeland and abroad and upon whose work the Howard League of Penal Reform was founded in England and established in other parts of the Empire. "Wo are not a body of 'cranks' and mens idealists," said Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., at the outset of an address. Magistrates, lawyers, doctors, politicians and social workers were within the ranks of the league, which aimed at the correct treatment of delinquents, the prevention of crime and re-creation of the strength of will of the fallen. Crime Diminished in England.

"Largely duo to the Howard League's influence there has been a remarkable diminution of crime in England, which now ie*ds the world in penal reform and crime reduction," Mr. Cutten said, Since 1900 26 prisons had been closed there. The average number of persons per 100,000 charged with offences was prior to 1912 176, but for the 1920-24 period it was only 150. Convictions for burglary for some years before the war averaged 1960 a year, but were now reduced to 1714, while on the same basis convictions for larceny and kindred offences had been brought down from 19,126 to 11,759. Most amazing of all, convictions for drunkenness had dwindled from 51,851 in a pre-war year to 11,396 last year. In New Zealand, though, crime was increasing. . Convictions for serious offences had risen from 853 in a year before the war to 1923 last year and on a like comparison drunkenness had increased by 807 cases a year. Women at Mount Eden. The Mental Defectives Act, which provided for the placing of mental defectives in non-penal institutions, had done a vast amount of good at Home and it remained for the league in New Zealand to interest the public in penal reform, the formation of a disciplinary system for the recreation of strength of will and the classification of prisoners according' to age, mental capacity, education and history. "Why, we have an example of what ought not to bo in the women's prison at Mount Eden—a huge dull stone building where these unfortunates live in a deadly monotony of routine, washing and darning, perhaps, all day," Mr. Cutten said. "What would you expect to happen to any woman under such conditions, no matter what her offence 1" Were there a prison out in the country where the prisoners could engage in poultxy farming or other interesting and profitable occupations the re-creation of will and character might be possible. Useless'. Penal Severity. "Only ignorant, unreasonable people clamour for a useless, expensive and wasteful penal severity for all alike," said Dr. Mildred Staley, secretary of the league. The abolition of prisons was not an impossible objective of penal reform as designed by the league. It would have prisoners" work hard, but to some purpose, and not as at present under life-wasting and futile methods. Dr. Staley condemned the depressing atmosphere of New Zealand prisons with their tasks leading nowhere, with their physical ugliness, mental dullness and moral laziness. Speaking frorfl the solicitor's point of view, Mr. J. J. Sullivan said the Dominion was shockingly behind England in prisc-i reform. No longer was it necessary to remind New Zealand magistrates that a man was deemed innocent until proved guilty, but methods of prosecution and trial were still open to extensive reform. Without reflection on the police, he deemed it only fair to an arrested man that he should have a representative at "identification" pai'ades to see they were fairly conducted, the taking of statements from accused men should be revised and greater facilities given an indigent man on trial to secure the best legal advice and not compel him, as at present, to accept the next solicitor in order on the "defence" roster, whoever ho might be. .

Suggested Middle Court. There had been a case in Auckland where a woman's request for a certain solicitor had not been passed on to the proper quarter until too late—after she had been sentenced to two years' detention. Certainly the case was reheard and the conviction quashed when the facts were known, but it was an instance of what might happen. New Zealand lacked a Court of criminal appeal,..where a rehearing on point of law and fact would be possible. Our existing Appeal Court, which took account of \evidence alonp, safc always in Wellington, but, he contended, it should travel on circuit as it did In other countries.

Other matters to which Mr. Sullivan referred were unjustifiably long detentions of, prisoners awaiting trial in cases which could well be speedily dealt with by a middle Court—a Court between the magistrate's and assizes.

The speakers were thanked, and the balance of the evening devoted to social purposes.