PRISON REFORM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 148, 12 March 1918, Page 6

PRISON REFORM

A DEPUTATION TO THE BOARD

A deputation comprising members of the Now Zealand Freedom League, Society of Friends, Church of Christ, Women's International League, Mount Eden Labour Party, and the "Women's I Political League, waited on tho Prisons Board at Anckland last week, and presented a memorial containing a number of suggestions. It was stated that there was too much monotony in prison routine, and that prisoners had too much time for brooding over tho repressive element of prison life. It wae suggested that during Ms term of imprisonment a man should be treated so that on regaining his freedom tho I impulse towards right should come i from himself. In order to effect theso ! reforms the restriction regarding the I sending and receipt of letters by pris- | oners should he removed, prison yards should he enlarged, the surroundings niado more attractive to tho eye, and the social spirit cultivated bv the establishment of social rooms'. The memorial also suggested that in tho caso of prisoners in delicate health the. routine should be modified, and short-sentence prisoners eniploved on State farms. In reply to the deputation Sir-Rob-ert Stout (chairman of the hoard) stated that- the board only hurl jurisdiction over prisoners retained for reformative purposes, those classed as habitual criminals, and those undergoing sen"tenco of four years or more who had served half their time. The board hnd no control over nrisoners generally. The question of the reform of prisonfirs was one that Iml a groat deal of attention during recent vears, and reform institutions were now established in various parts of New' Zealand. At AVaikorin and Kningaroa. for instance, the prisoners were _ engaged in farm work and tree-planting., the life being an id«al one for reformative purposes. Unfortunately, however, them were prisoners who could not he trusted in tlieso open-air prisons, and who had betrayed thrir trust by absconding. Many of the men in our fnols were in reality prisoners by heredity, whi'e others bod Wore liiimWs of convictions against them, and tho question of their treatment, was an ex(Wflinclv difficult one. There wns no flnnbt that further stens would he tokfii ; n iri?mi reform, but, t.lipy imiet nrnr""d "slowlv. Fr> suprcrpstpd that tho nininhers of the deputation iiW tbp. Prisnnprs' , RW fo 'lpln +o incrense tbp eflini<wv of tbrt body ill the Eood work that it was doing.