REFORMING THE-CRIMINAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 911, 2 September 1910, Page 4

REFORMING THE-CRIMINAL.

'.;; ;.'• A'iDIFFIQULT PJROBtEM; V : V'-v ■•.'Preparatory-'to moving, the third ■read- i ing of the Crimes 'Amendment Bill in the'.Le'gislatiye" Council ; .yesterday,, the Hon. Dr. Findlay gave some interesting information with regard -to the- habitual offenders at present in the reformatory prison at- New Plymouth. ,In all,.saidi)r. Findlay, there were 26 men and threo women at the reformatory, and:he proceeded'to quote the ! record' showing, the classes ,of offender. and the .number' of '. offences' for. which eaoh;, was detained; Most of the cases were hopeless,, the men having lived .'long lives of crime,' a-fact; which great difficulty in the way of reformative treatment.. The records lie quoted explained, how it was that piily;four of the habitual, offenders had been released up to the present. One of these, a. very ; old offender, had to be taken in again immediately after because of another crime he committed'when .released.. This case illustrated that-the attempt to reform at that end of life was, not very successful. ■' The- experience of the world showed" that reformation must be begun at the 'other end, "with , : the -young.. ."■'■'■/. -' ■:,'. " ',■ ••■'•. ; V ■;