PRISON REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 29

PRISON REFORM.

DR PINDLAY'S SCHEME. ;; WELLINGTON, March 15. % The Hon. Da* Findlay, Minister of. Justice, gave particulars of his prison reform scheme to a New Zealand Times reporter to-night. The provisions of the indeterminate sentence are extended' and made applicable to all cases, though : the determinate sentence will he retained in all proper cases. The following institutions are provided for:—Penitentiaries for male" prisoners, institution for sexual perverts and criminals of unsound mind, institution ' for incorrigible drunkards, prison camps, reformatory farm penitentiaries, and a reformatory for women. Provision is made for an extension of the - probation system and for dealing with occasional and habitual drunkards. Prisoners are to be classified on a, double basis—first as>to type, and secondly as to conduct and improvement. The case of every prisoner sen- '■ tenced to the indeterminate sentence will be reviewed every three months. - Every prisoner by performing his task will earn credit marks having a definite monetary value. ' The relief of the dependents of a prisoner will be a, first charge on his earnings. All physically capable prisoners will be employed on remunerative works, such as stonemiasonry, ironmoulding, tin-ware-making, book covers and bootmaking. Education will be orovided for illiterates, enabling Fourth Standard requirements in reading, writing, and arithmetic to be passed. An extension of th© prison camp system is proposed, taking in occupations other than treeplanting. Special provisions are made for the classification of drunkards.