TREATMENT OF INEBRIATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 15

TREATMENT OF INEBRIATES.

CAPTAIN NEITEXSTEIX'S EXPERIMENTS. i j THE SKAFTESBURY INSTITUTION. ! '" lo cure, not to punish."- ! - it was in tne»3 worcs tirat CapLaia Nei- -, i«iijrein expressed, lc-eenrTy, tne policy" n© J followed 121 the treatment of pm-oneis com- ' nutted to his charge. lie has applied j the same maxim in the treatment ot mI ebriutes, realising that in their case it is » more in the interests ot the State, as well ' as the individual, to eiieet a permanent j cure of the drink habit, than to inliict j punisnmants on each occasion that a transgression occurs. Toe present King of England, when speaking at the opening i of. the Tubercuicsw Conieienca some years { airo, gave expression to tha question: "If curable, why not- cured !" The same question that was applied to consumption may I be voiced in i^gaxd to the ciuak habit. ' And it is pleasing (aajs the Sjdney Telegraph) to be »ble~to show that tne Prisons ■ Department of New South AA aics is lead- ', ing tho van in this matter, as in all others, . coming under its sphere. ! New giound is being broken in prison management by the start of operatkts., i at tho Shaftesbury Institution, near Wati son's Bay. In January, 1908, the Cabinet j approved of the Shaftesburv -Keformatory i being utilised as a building for the detention cf femaie prisoners or inebriates. The I reformatory a* that time was under the control of the State Children's Relief Department, but wa-3 subsequently handed ovex to the Prisons Department, when it was found necessary to make certain alterations. The necessary work was carried out by artisans on the prison staff, and the first inmates were admitted at the beginning of July las>t. Since that date 16 have been admitted. Of these, four have been released en license. No failures have yet been reported, and from the reports received from the Hoanse-hol'ders it will be seen that they are doing well. The treatment is entirely different from that experienced by prisoners in the gaols, the object being to have the conditions as n<?ar as possible similar to those they would enjoy when engaged iwon domestic duties outside. In other words, Shaftesb' * Institution is a half-way house to freedom— a gradual breaking to the female inebriates of a liberty which experience has shown has always resulted in another lapse- from the , path of rectitude when the weak one is suddenly ushered into freedom. At Sha£t«rbury the inmates are trained in the various branches of domestic work, and are engaged also in healthy ontckror occupation, such as gardening, etc. Every effort i s made by th-e staff to enable the inmates to regain their womanly solf-respect, and to take an interest in their future, and there can be . no doubt whatever that they have ma^.e a rrarked improvement morally and physt- ■ cally and there aro indications in many cases that they lKue resolved to give up their former methods of living. When con- j eideration is given to the class from ■which some of these women are drawn, the change , in appearance, demeanour, and habits is "nothing short of astounding. . The Deputy-comptroller of Prisons (Mr Macaulcy), having had over 54 years ot i e-ponence with prisoners, might be e.vpected to view the?o experiments in prison methods in a cynical light. But no ! We find him at Captain Ncitcnsteins right hand in this matter, pushing along the barrow of reform with whole-hearted enthusiasm. "The treatment at Shaftesbury, the Deputy -comptroller said, " k altogether on new lines as far a^> the Australian States arc concerned, and- the expeiiments there will bs watched throughout the Common- i wealth with the greatest interest by all , sociologies. lam very hopeful regarding the results. The treatment is altogether , different to that which obtains in ihe gaols. The inmates are ts.-u.sted to a much greater extent, the discipline is not co severe, and every effort is made to teach them domestic "duties, enabling them to take up work on their release. The change 'of treatment has been very beneficial to the women, and is very marked in their appearance. The.\ are frequently visited by ladies of the Prisoners' Aid Seciery, who mtd to them and converse with them, and are doing all in their power to induce f the inmat?3 to c-hanc;*' their modo of life. Of tho-e who ha\e passed through the ] cour.-e of treatment at tho Shaftesburv j Institution not a Mn?l*> oiip has returned to gaol. While it is too oarh as \ei to offor an ci-im-on us to tiift ultimate re-,uli. so far iia'\i ha> gnn> Uio c\pe. uu'-it i* \ery ejicoui.i^ini;. Fa-.ii]- - bfin ; uti! -^U for inebriate, rho ir -n ifaticn i= ai-o i7«<-d for ncls-con'U'.cti.J p'i-on^M of rt spot .a! x''a«s— only once coiuicr^d and voting. The • following reports affoid some i<lca of the proaress heinor ma'l'. 1 : — _\. Seve-i vtarV penal servitiide for manslaughter, was in ihe institution for SiX mouths, and wa= iha-\ re>H-e^ on licence. A. position was four.d foi her as a i!oir;-'"'iic servant, find she has given every <-;ii.-fr._t uoi. to her employer, and is contacted h*>=;?". B-_X:ns months' light labour for al-tfw.-.L-ing to administer c noxious druy TTirer n»ntlis in the irsiitution, whe.i the^ \;z* lelea'-ecl on hce7i=c A pesitior y.'a a 'oi'.iJ fcr her as a domestic with ti.o greatsst satisfaction to all coiic^rrer!. C. — Ordered to he deta.ocd in sn inebriai^ institution for ?is m«'ii til's, Fubc-equ<?7itly cxtonded by six m>r/,h= lv tLc Sbjifto'iju: 1 ' In.'ilitutioTi icix two nio^.th 3 theii r.;!ea^€fl on l.ce-i-ie. a posit ; on Lsin^ olit uncd To, he--Wliere slie is gums the nti.:oM sati = fa- tici D — Oidered to be detuned for =-ix months a» an inein-iate subsequently expended by Bix months Tracsferred to Shaftt-pbury InMitutjon. whera she remained threo month", and tva; ther released on Hceru-e. a position having been obtained for hei This \Vanian i<« turning out splendidly, «ivl is an illustration of whet may be done with proper treatrncTii. E. — S;x months for stealins. Was detai^iecl in The fehait-e-^bary Irstitution fcr a time, and then released on license, and ictored to her husband Doing well. P. — Six months for bigamy. Detained lii the Shaftosbury Institution for a time prior to release by re mission G — Ordered to be detained for six months in an jnebrirtte institution Tho order was fcubsequenth' extended to ei°ht month <*. De•tained two mouths m the Shaftesbury Ins'ii- ■ xuion. wlicn she wa'i di«chaiged. a. reconciliation having been effee'ed with her family. Is now doing w-el), and is a, splendud ?ave. In the case of "D" theie were 80 convictions recorded. She lias now been at liberty four weeks, and there is no indication of any tendency to relapse. A few days ago she visited tho institution at

Shaftesbury, and expressed her thanks to ' the Comptroller-general and the matron for what they had done for her " You have given me a new life," ehe said. "C " had 117 convictions , recorded against her since ISS9, and has now boon free for some months without " baclsslldin«."' Ih.s statement by Mr Macaulcy amply pro\ es that Captain Neitenstein's" innxreations are being- "justified, a'r.d this jjimse of prison reform will ba watched by many.