REFORMATORIES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3726, 28 April 1899, Page 5

REFORMATORIES.

Following up our remarks of a week age on the subject of the reform of prison methods, a representative of this journal has elicited from Dr F. \V. Pennefather. who has taken considerable, interest in the subject, a statement of bis views, of which a summary is published in another column. Dr Pennefather confines his remarks to the treatment of juvenile offenders, leaving aside the larger question of reformatories for adult criminals. It has long been evident that the New Zealand system of treating neglected, destitute and criminal children is radically defective ; but repeated protests from the public and the press have hitherto proved fruitless. If Lieut.-Col. Hume, who isnow on a tour of Australia inquiring into • prison methods there, should visit Adelaide, ho will doubtless be provided with particulars of the reformatory system that lias been introduced there, and which, as explained by Dr Pennefather, seems worthy of adoption here. The South Australian system lias two excellent features. There is, first of all, and most important, the rigorous separation of criminal and semi-criminal children from those who are merely orphan, neglected or destitute; and secondly, there is the admirable method of classification, under which youths are encouraged to welldoing by the prospect of increased comfort and enjoyment. In New Zealand the haphazard method still obtains of placing criminal and destitute children side by side in industrial schools, with most deplorable moral consequences. By adopting the suggestion of Dr Pennefather and making, say, the Caversham institution an industrial school pure and' simple, where orphan and destitute children should he sheltered and taught, while the Burnham School, which-lias a large tract of land connected with it, might be managed as a classified reformatory for ycions hoys and juvenile criminals, much better results would he attained. Matters must he in a very unsatisfactory condition when Judges and Magistrates send hoys to prison in preference to committing them to industrial schools. Our juvenile criminals really, receive less considerate treatment than first-offending adults, despite the fact that the plastic period of youth is the tinfe when reforming influences are most likely to prove successful. In onr opinion, a system of classified prisons and of careful classification within each prison, ought to be instituted in the case of all offenders, adult ns well as juvenile; but it is imperative that something be done immediately to save the youthful offenders from the polluting and hardening influences to which they are exposed under the system now in vogue. The principle, of indeterminate sentences could not have a better field for trial than in the case' of youthful criminals, and we should like to see it applied in connection with the reformatory treatment of such offenders. It is to he hoped that Ministers will,. in conjunction with the Inspector of Prisons, find means of introducing these reforms without further delay.