LIFE BEHIND WALLS OF A PRISON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 8

LIFE BEHIND WALLS OF A PRISON

FULL INVESTIGATION URGED DEPUTATION TO MINISTER ADVOCATION OF REFORMS [ Pet Preus Association. 1 AUCKLAND, March 10. As one who, year ago, had been Imprisoned for his political opinions, the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) showed a personal interest in the arguments used by a deputation in favour of a full and open investigation into the penal system of the Dominion. Mr. Armstrong nad been deputed by the Prime Minister to receive the deputation on his behalf. The deputation was sponsored by the Howard League for Penal Reform and included lawyers, cleargymen, social workers, educationists and business men. Mr. C. L. Gillies, on behalf of the Howard League, said that the ract that New Zealand had three times as many prisoners in propoi l ion to population as England, and more than Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Irish Free State, Scandinavian countries or Australia, showed a state of affairs requiring investigation. There was evidence to show that the beneficial treatment of Borstal inmates fell far short of what it might be. The facts known concerning the probation service pointed to a greatly overworked staff, insufficient training and lack of facilities for a complete survey of the individual delinquent to determine the best method of treatment for him. There was explicit evidence that the value of the modern aM of psychology and psychiatry to the problems of delinquency was neither understood nor appreciated by tne authorities. It was suggested that two properly equipped and staffed observation centres should be established, one in each island, for the full investigation of every convicted person before sentence.

"I have been very much impressed by the representations you nave made," said the Minister in reply. "I will certainly convey them to the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet, and I think I can give you an assurance that they will be seriously considered. Perhaps I am a tittle more interested because I once experienced a short term of imprisonment. Though I have nothing to apologise for," Mr. Armstrong continued, "it was an experience that was worth while. Our penal system may be backward, but it has made a wonderful advance since then. I used to see men yarded up like cattle, decent boys and hardened criminals together.” A member of the deputation: They still are, sir. Another member: They work together though they do not use the same yard. "I do not know about the present men,” remarked Mr. Armstrong. "Speaking of prison warders, those I had to do with were well meaning, but their idea of reforming prisoners belonged to the dark ages. Warders should be the best type of individual possible, carefully selected and trained, not chosen merely for their physique.” He agreed that there was a need for full educational facilities and training in handicrafts which he did not believe was developed sufficiently except in Borstal Institutions. Men should not be kept locked so long in their cells as had been the rule in his experience. He was in favour of a fuller examination of offenders before sentence. He had found that a large proportion of so-called criminals were simply victims ot a mental disease. Among prisoners he had seen poor old men who were in jail merely because they could not work, and there was no other place for them. It seemed to him wrong that young men should be sentenced to long terms of five to ten years when there was a possibility that they might be fully reformed in one year.”