N.Z. PRISONS' REPORT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15312, 13 August 1923, Page 8

N.Z. PRISONS' REPORT.

AN UNHAPPY FEATURE.

INCREASE IN JUVENILE CRIME.

VALUE OP PRISON LABOUR.

By Telegraph.—Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Saturday. An -unhappy feature of -the annual report of the Prisons Department is , the increase m juvenile crime, both ' among- Europeans and Maoris. There ■were 340 New Zealand-born prisoners J between 15 and 25 received in the prisons last year, an increase of 58 per cent, over 1921. The number of '. Maoris tinder 20 received was 29, compared with 10 the previous year. ■ The Controller-General appeals for some properly-constituted social welfare body to co-ordinate efforts at ■the preTeotton of youthful crime, and rn- ' stances the success of such bodies in ' America. ; The number of adult prisoners shows a decrease, but a curious fea- • tore of the statistics is that 40 years ago the females in prison were oneseventh the number of males, now the proportion of males is seventeen to one. The total value of prison labour last year was £93,440, which affords a healthy comparison with the 'total expenditure of the Department, 'which was £123,360. Mr Willord, -commenting on the report, amused the House by recalling the demand of the female, prisoners at Addington for cigarettes. He said they were just as entitled to the soothing cigarette as the male prisoner was to bis pipe. - , ;