PRISON GATE HOMES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1367, 12 May 1898, Page 27

PRISON GATE HOMES.

V . TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—You are very kindly showing interest in a subject that until now has been treated, especially in this city, with almost criminal negligence. The thanks of the whole community are owing to Mr Jellicoe for bringing into notice the pitiable plight of prisoners on their discharge, from gaol. He has the thanks of the society pariahs to which I at one time belonged. You also, sir, deserve thanks for sparing space, as you have lately done, to help this matter to a head. The Government are greatly to blame for the indifference they display in treating oriminals, Money ia large quantities is always ready to build new gaols, &c, but it is years since funds have been granted for the provision of new library books, and the present library in a certain gaol is a disgrace to any institution. All punishments should be therapeutical, but in this colony they are grossly vindictive. Wo interest is taken in a prisoner after his conviction. No school is provided for illiterate prisoners, although it could easily be arranged in each gaol to have an evening class where men could be taught up to a certain arranged standard; and in every gaol would be found men willing and able to coach their more unfortunate comrades up to this standard. Religious instruction should not be neglected as it is in a certain Wellington gaol, where no service is held from January to December, and has been so for years. Another neglect on the part of the Government is that, although they grant prisoners the privilege of petitioning at any time after conviction, the petitions are ignored when forwarded. Many menha/e petitioned as far back as two years, some even two or three times, but in. no case has a reply been received. Surely, sir, this is wrong. A sense of policy, or business aptitude, leaving out all thought of justness, should sway the Government to always reply, or stop the privilege altogether. A frequent excuse for crime, and a constant complaint of prisoners, is that no one cares for their welfare after their first slip from rectitude, and if this opinion is formed from the neglect displayed, the excuse is. just, and the cause of the complaint should be remedied. I am sure that in no British possession, other than this, is such indifference shown by society and Government. If statistics could be given dealing with criminal matters, some very surprising figures would be shown here. A discharged man obtains no rest. The police continually annoy, and, in many cases, actually compel. him to some criminal act. If he should get work, they inform his employer, and he is—by an unthinking man I —dismissed. The police then arrest him, and charge him with " having no lawful means/' and back to gaol he goes. I have sufficient knowledge of the criminal class to say that, if an employer has one of these dischargees working for him, he will in nearly every case find a grateful and faithful servant if he kindly and wisely tells him that he knows of the past slip, but is willing to try the fallen one. This is worth trying by some employer who may in the future be so fixed. I sincerely hope, sir, you can find space for, this. These matters of neglect are most serious, and are causing much evil, whoever is to blame. The "Prison Gate Home "is a good'move, but the Government should surely assist the public by blending common - sense, merciful and necessary healing treatment with the present careless and harsh system of chastisement, which is only a case-harden-ing process. Thanking you in prospective, —I .am, &c, Ex-Criminal.