CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
Sir, —The article on "Reform of Prisoners" in your "Notes and Commerrts" column of April 15 is encouraging. What a contrast between the methods of England and France. England reduces the prison population in one year by 1200 and shows a record of the lowest' figures in eight years. But this is done by reforming tho lives of thoso sentenced by humanitarian methods. France, on the other hand, uses the negative mode of exporting 1000 criminals per year to South America, never to return. Numbers of thoso men may be brilliant in some sphere, as they often are, and of great value to their country, but because of something crooked or twisted in their mentality or of a moment of weakness or false" judgment thev are banished and become a total loss. England on the other hand straightens and mends the kink of the mind and character, and by enlightened Christian reformation restores to the State a useful citizen, who is no longer a liability to the exchequer, but an asset. Instead of a prison being a dungeon of punishment, it should be an institution of refinement and culture for putting prisoners through the mill of reform and education, turning them out an improved article and not lower than when they entered. Mr. Savage said recently in his address to the people of the British Commonwealth of Nations in a newsreel talking picture: " New Zealand was looked upon at one time as the social laboratory of the world. We are looking forward to occupying again our place in the vanguard of human progress." We hope that the present Labour Government will take this matter of prison reform in hand and show a lead to the world, and not merely allow our barge of reform to rock in the wake of England's progress. Desmond Bkown.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 13
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307CRIME AND PUNISHMENT New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 13
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