ATTITUDE TO CRIME
< PRESENT TENDENCIES CRITICISED
VIEWS OF CONTROLLER OF PRISONS
(P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 18. “There is a good deal that is fanciful and mischievous now put forward in extenuation of wrongdoing. This is not in the best interests of the community,” said the Controller-General of Prisons (Mr B. L. Dallard) in an address to the Wellington Rotary Club today. Mr Dallard said a more realistic approach was wanted. The present-day tendency was to make light of wrongdoing, said Mr Dallard. This was in accord with the present milk and watery attitude to most moral questions. There were many people to-day who would go so far as to say that there should be no punishment at all, and postulate the theory that all offenders against the law were sick persons, who needed treatment rather than punishment. “Besides being mushy and untrue, this is a mischievous philosophy,” said Mr Dallard. “Authoritative opinion in England and America suggests that less than 20 per cent, of offenders against the law are not normal. Many within this group have a clear idea of right and wrong, and are properly culpable at law. There is nothing to suggest that in New Zealand the incidence of abnormality is higher.” For crimes due to faults of character and not to the effects of disease of the mind the lawbreaker was responsible, said Mr Dallard. It was socially dangerous to give too ready an ear to specious excuses. It was also undesirable to gloss over and make light, of criminal acts. A' wholesome public attitude towards crime was essential if due respect for the maintenance of the law was to be maintained. It must not be overlooked that the primary function of the criminal law was the protection of society. The law had to be reasonable and just/ It thus behoved governments always to exercise the greatest care in the formulation of the law, and for every loyal citizen to maintain a proper regard for it.
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Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 6
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328ATTITUDE TO CRIME Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 6
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