CRIMINAL REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3105, 17 September 1913, Page 5

CRIMINAL REFORM.

CLASSIFICATION METHODS. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 5. The Prisons Board presented its report to Parliament to-day, and effectively reviewed the work done during the year in prison reform, and made a number of important suggestions for improvements in the future.

The essence of the report is contained in the concluding paragraph, which is to the following effect: —“ The board is of the opinion that the basis of all reformatory treatment must be labour. The motto should bo ‘Nihil sine labore.’ To carry out this programme there would need to be warder instructors specially skilled in the work in which the prisoners would be engaged in. Proper workshops would be necessary, permitting disciplinary supervision apart from the'instruction, and the prisoners ought to bo allowed some payment for work efficiently done. If this were done and the cost of keep and surveillance deducted, the balance could bo banked against discharge, or if there be dependents outside (wives and families) some portion of the earnings should be expended in supixntiii" them. This system is working successfully in other countries, and should bo adopted if there is to bo effective reformative treatment in this country.” CLASSES OF CRIMINALS.

During the year the board cona : dercd the coses of 207 criminals, of whom 63 were habituals and 144 were undergoing reformative detention. The board expresses the opinion that many of the habituals coming before it are not of a confirmed criminal character, and that a fair proportion of the prisoners sentenced to reformative detention are not in many ways distinguishable from the ordinary criminal, while some appear to have approached the qualification, if not to have already qualified, to be classed as habitiuals. The hoard views this with concern, especially with regard to the unpromising typo being sentenced to reformative detention. PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE.

The principle followed in according probation is indicated in this fashion: —“In dealing with habitual crimina’s and offenders it is the duty of the board to decide whether and when such prisoners can bo recommended for release on probation with safety to the public, and for his own good, he having a clear understanding that ho will be returned to prison if the terms of the license are not strictly adhered to. Where a prisoner has committed a number of offences none of which is of a dangerous character, and all of which are associated more or less with the adverse circumstances of his environment, he would in a very large number of cases have to serve what is virtually a life sentence had he to wait till doubts of a possible relapse ceased to exist. After such a man had served a reasonable sentence, is reported to have shown signs of improvement, and has impressed the bear'd with bis desire to go straight the board feels that a.n opportunity should Ire given to him by conditional leave, and it has so acted.” The records of the board were:—Total number under sentence in 1911. 57; 1912, 72: total number released on license in 1911, 15; 1912, 24. State on December 31, 1912, of those released on license: Returned to prison in 1911, 8: 1912, 5; whereabouts unknown in 1911. 1; 1912. 6. Satisfactory reports from probation officer's, in 1911. 6; 1912. 24; total 30.

Drunkenness was largely responsible for the breaking of probation. About onebalf of the probationers wore earning an honest livelihood. THE BUILDING PROBLEM.

“ In the annual report \of the board last year it was pointed out that, generally speaking, the prison buildings were ill adapted for classification. Witu added experience it becomes clearer that the setting apart of a division of a prison for the segregation of poisons under reformative detention will not suffice, because it is evident that some reformative prisoners are as liable to corrupt their fellows as those from whom they would bo kept apart in the special division. Praise was bestowed on the building in Auckland, and the board has reason to believe that in the Invercargill Prison, where the buildings are more recent, there is suitable accommodation for this class. The department has in a degree met the need for classification by selecting suitable prisoners for the tree-planting camps (setting one of them aside for first offenders), and at the reformative farm at Waikeria, and the buildings at Addington, recently known .as the Samaritan Home, are, it is understood, being adapted to the requirements of a prison for females. PRISON LABOUR. “By its visits to Waipa and Waiotapu the IjoarcT is convinced that the work being done at these camps is good and healthful. It may not lead directly to the acquiring of the skill nccessay for gaining an appointment on discharge, but it is calculated to, and judging by appearances does, build up the constitution and produces at the end of the term of imprisonment a much litter type of unskilled labourer. They standard of labour of the reformatoryprisoners at the camps, the farm, and at Invercargill is high, but in the nature of things there arc many prisoners who, either on account of their record or their physical condition, arc unsuited for it. The board is therefore of opinion that remunerative work entailing instruction and training which would be of use in the future, should bo found for this residuum. The question is: What kind of work? There are doubtless many articles required in the public service of the dominion the making of which in one or more of the prisons would appropriately emnloy at indoor work the class mentioned. Work of this nature could bo provided that would not appreciably compete with free labour.”