EX-PRISONER’S STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18392, 28 July 1931, Page 3

EX-PRISONER’S STORY.

LIFE UNDER BORSTAL. PENAL SYSTEM ASPERSED. “GAOL WITHIN A GAOL." The recent attack on the Borstal system of this country, launched by Mr F. A. de la Mare, of Hamilton, at a meeting of the Howard League, in Auckland, has brought to our hands a frank disclosure of conditions at a certain institution, written by an exinmate of that institution. Tho writer is a young man, well educated, but who for obvious reasons, desires that his name should not be published to the world. He states that he read the recent fine, restrained address by Mr de la Mare on penal reform and his object in writing is to try and give a. little help to those of his unfortunate fellows who are Inmates of or similar Institutions. “No doubt,” he says, “much I write of is well known, but I have the perhaps doubtful advantage of having gained my knowledge from the inside. I write of what I know only. Upon my own case I will not dwell. I have always considered myself quite a respectable member of society and this was my first arid only offence against the law. What I 'have seen of prison administration makes me feel somewhat ashamed of being a New Zealander.

“I paid particular attention to all that went on around me. I made a point of associating with all types and classes. At I sought for a real criminal type in vain. Of undisciplined and uneducated youth I saw plenty. There were many, many pathological cases who ought never to have been there. Some, through one slip, were brought there in comparative innocence, to be discharged back into society with a vicious training and an outlook which our borstal system almost inevitably produces on adolescents.

“ There is absolutely no distinction or segregation though the regulations are alleged to provide such. However, ‘Hard Labour,' ‘Borstal,’ or ‘reform’ are absolutely meaningless. At I lived and worked with habltuals In the kitchen where the entire staff was composed of such. This is the case throughout. Many men are serving a period of hard labour and reform and continue on one job all their time.

Window Dressing.

“Mention has been made of ‘window dressing.' At this is a very artistic performance indeed. Early this year some English delegates or Borstal officials visited . Be-

ing a ‘probationer’ I was, without exception, imdbr locik and! key from 4.30 p.m. onwards. To my astonishment I was unlocked and asked if I would care for a game of tennis, and also taken Into the dining room and served with a double ration of food with extras. I learned that the tennis court was not used except for ‘window dressing’ purposes and later I was severely censured for asking for a game when there were no visitors to Impress. These are a few of hundreds of such details. Of course Mr Dallard and visiting committees go away feeling very complacent and their subsequent remarks would bo most laughable, if they were not so tragic.

“Of course there Is always a gaol within the gaol, and this Is In constant use for mainly trivial offences to which any high spirited boy Is prone, doubly so when fretting under quite inhuman restraint. Even laughter and whistling during * recreation ’ hours evoke harsh throats of punishment.

“There Is practically no farm life for Inmates except those serving long sentences, or older men who have had farm experience. Almost half the muster are employed Inside at work in kitchen, bakehouse, laundry, cleaner, etc., and seldom come outside, invariably working seven days a week. These are considered ‘privileged’ to be doing ‘staff work.

“Tlhoso whose mentality is of a lower order or who, mainly through no fault of their own, have no qualifications whatever, have a bad time and are placed in the ‘breaking-in’ gang, where they usually remain, and their work consists almost entirely of continuous drain digging no matter what the season. Latterly, since the escapes, an additional warder with loaded rifle and revolver stands over them also.

“Occasionally ‘lnquiries’ are made concerning certain alleged treatment, but the wall of officialdom is too great, ttie inmates’ position and defence too weak, for the matter to go far. If an Ijnmate"s appeal',anoe, 'belongings, or correspondence suggests that he Is of some importance in the outer world, he will receive extra consideration, solely to check his tongue when he Is released, but should he be, as many are, without friends, money , or home, then God help him during his stay at . Outside Interest Resented.

“It Os rather futile to say such things ought not to be. These are our fellow men, products of our social system, yet when they pass out of the court, that is the end; the public do not appear to want to know any more. I do not sweepingly condemn all prison officials, as there are some who are fine men and some of those who are In charge of our borstals are fairminded, but it needs more than ordinary qualifications to caro and treat properly such a delicate tiling as adolescent youth. Lectures and concerts arc looked forward to with pathetic eagerness, sometimes becoming a topic of conversation until the next time one arrives and are a refreshing departure from the usual talk theme, which is actually fostered. Of course those In charge resent the extra duty and time involved when a party comes out for any effort to lighten the darkness of the boys’ lives seems to be strangely resented, as they appear to think It Is a reflection on their ability to care for the inmates.

“I am convinced that prolonged sontcncos havo no reformative value and make a man unfitted to bo-take his [tjaco outsldo, and, In most cases, It Is once outside tho prison gates that his sentence begins again.

"I do not pretend lo be able to offer any solutions, I leave that to better heads, hut certainly any movement such -as the Howard League could (Continued la next oolumn.)

have my humble, but nevertheless, wholehearted support. “There is much more I would Ilka to say but time will not permit. I havo gathered ifinuch detail and facts both during and since my enforced stay In prison, so If any of this could be of assistance to the league In Its splendid work, I will supply it gladly. There is the appalling thing known as “tho Act,” which is equivalent to or worse than death, the * underground,’ the Ignorance of judges or magistrates of existing conditions, the starvation system and the crimo of being 111 or physically or menially weak In gaol, are only a few of the things which have stirred mo so much, that I have presumed to write this letter. For my short years I consider myself a fair judge of human nature and there are very many men in prison who are possessed of fine Instincts and whom I would trust to the utmost and who are Indeed far better men than I can ever hops to be. In conclusion I would like to say that I am fully confident that you will make no use of my name in the matter, otherwise anything else is at your service. You will appreciate that I am not merely considering myself In this respect.’'