PRISON REFORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 13

PRISON REFORM

BRITISH CONDITIONS FEWER INSTITUTIONS * PRIVILEGES FOR INMATES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 28, G. 5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, April 27 The remarkable developments in prison reform during the last 25 years are reviewed in the annual report of the Prison Commissioners. During this period the number of local prisons was reduoed from 56 in 1910 to 29 at the present time, and the annual receptions in prisons fell from 186,395 to 56,425. Various prisons have been classified for different types of prisoners, and special attention lias been devoted to young prisoners. The number of receptions on convictions of lads sentenced to imprisonment, excluding Borstal detention, fell from 9891 to 189-1 in 1934. Many changes in treatment include the abolition of separate confinement, the introduction of wireless and concerts, the issue of a weekly news sheet, the establishment of adult education, the improvement of prison libraries, the disappearance of the broad arrow from prison clothing, and the introduction of physical training. The commissioners state that as a result of these reforms discipline has improved and on release prisoners return to the world less embittered and less at war with society than previously.

British Wireless