SMITH RELEASED.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 October 1926, Page 12

SMITH RELEASED.

ECHO OF BAUME CASE. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, October 9. It lias been learned, on making further inquiries, that William Smith, Sydney Baume’s accomplice, lias also been released from the Borstal Institute. Under the Prisons Board regulations, when a prisoner has served six months o: a sentence of reformative detention the board is empowered to review the sentence with a view of deciding whether or not the prisoner should ’.be released. The board takes into consideration the prisoner’s conduct while under detention, and if it thinks that he is not likely to offend again it may give him a chance to rehabilitate himself by recommending bis release before the expiry of bis sentence. The board often takes the view that more harm may be dono to a prisoner bv retaining him in association with hardened criminals than ' by releasing him. The Prisons Board has received a good deal of criticism, but it cannot make its deliberations public, as this would lie to tho disadvantage of those mm, w!in :l!V> i-nn.. r 7 are trying to reconstruct tlioir lives.

It. line, been stated on authority that sentences are real'y harder under the present system than under the old. Nowadays n prisoner, serves his whole sentence unless a recommendation to the contrary is made by the Prisons Board, hut-'under the old svstem every prisoner had so much of lii.s sentence reduced if his behaviour wore good.