THE PENAL SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20426, 30 November 1929, Page 16

THE PENAL SYSTEM.

Sir, —The provisions of the Rest Home Act we have not yet seen, but it is a relief to know that our country is at last to rid herself of the injustice of sending to prison as "vagrants" many who are guilty of no other offence that that of being helpless and homeless. We read of the Minister of Health saying that he considers our present social arrangements "very unsatisfactory," and we note with interest his candid observations of prison life. When our prisons daily house over four times those in England in proportion to the population, how can anyone of us consider our system a success? The number of British prisons is said to be one-half of what it was at the beginning of this century, yet crime _ has not _ increased, while in our Dominion _ neither crime nor prisons show any signs of diminution. Our whole penal system is badly in need of development and reform if it is to be kept in line with that of more advanced countries. Our Borstals for lads are scarcely real Borstals; our Prisons Board has nothing to do with prisons, but only with revising sentences, and even has to do this appear, with insufficient time and knowledge. Again, "reformative detention sentences have been shown to differ not at all from those of "hard labour" in the treatment in our prisons, while even th<* Minister himself tells us that' the last term is misleading. We fail, too, in that we completely lack the help of science both in determining sentences and m treatment of prisoners. We still have no properly organised "after care" of discharged prisoners; our country probation officers are all simply policemen, with no leisure to do such work properly. As yet our Children's Courts are unfortunately only undeveloped Courts; and we are the only part of the Empire that lacks the help, in preventing _ certain classes of crime, that women police have been found to give. When the new Minister of Justice is appointed we bope that the desire of the women of New Zealand IMiy be granted, and an efficient staff of women police become part of our penal system. It is felt, too, that the compulsory education standard of out constables is too low, the police force too small, while our detectives lack adequate training. Last year's police report reveals the fact that of 1415 serious crimes reported, only 960 resulted in arrests. Quick detection of crime is necessary for the success of any penal system. While all these conditions continue our country is badly handicapped in consequence. . E. Hunt. Acting-Hon. Secretary N.Z., .N.Z, Howard League for Penal Reform.