REFORMING CRIMINALS

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 26

REFORMING CRIMINALS

CURATIVE. NOT PUNITIVE .MEASURES. An interesting account of the work of the Indeterminate Sentences Board in Victoria was given by Mr S. Manger chairman of that body, at a meeting held under the auspices of tho Criminology Society and of the Literary Society of the .Australian Church. Air Manger said since the passing of the Indeterminate Sentences Act and up to June 30 last, 635 cases had been admitted to reformatory prisons. In the same period 452 had been released on the board’s advice. Of these, 154, or 34 per cent., had failed, and had been i reconvicted or returned. Ho wever, 253, or 66 per cent., had not returned; 103 were still on probation, and 188 had'passed out of the board’s control. The system of placing prisoners on their parole had been very successful. His experience had lu en that it the inmates were put to work at something they were interested in, and the gaol, atmosphere were removed, it went a long way to making men of them. After some agitation the board had got a farm at Castlcmaine in conjunction with the ijaol there. It was worked by the inmates. Seven men lived at the farm. They were on their honour, and had no guards over them. There had been some escapes by men going to and from the farm, but not by these who lived there. The heard wu« trying to give the inmates of the institutions under its control education and training, and he was convinced that until the men were thoroughly educated and trainid they should not be released. The French Island settlement was the wonder and admiration of all people who had visited it. Visitors had said it contained the nucleus of the best reform system in the world. There were no gaol or bluestone walls. The tre ttment was curative as opposed to punitive. There were only three warders to 39 men. If a man had a spark of manliness in him it way fanned into flame there. The men were encouraged in occupations that interested them, and they earned their living. Wherever they had trusted a man there he had never failed them. < Tiniinals wete made been ’so boys started life ill-equipped. The school age should be raised to 18 years. At nresent so many young people moulded their lives on what they saw at picture shows. They had no home training, no physical, mental, or spiritual training.