THE PRISONS BOARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 299, 13 September 1919, Page 8

THE PRISONS BOARD

A YEAR'S OPERATIONS, The annual report of the Prisons Board for Hit past year states that the board considered 380 case? and dealt with 289, including 59 habitual criminals, 151 prisoners undergoing reformative detention, and 79 hard labour prisoners. Thirtyfour habitual criminals were recommended tor release ou nrobntion, uud of tlicso 27 were released uefore the end of tho year; three habitual criminals 011 probation were recommended'for discharge. Of those released on probation one left New Zealand with the roinforeemenlß, four were returned to prison for fresh oftences or for breaches of their licenses, three left the Dominion for their former domiciles, leaving 19 reporting to the probation officers at the end of the year. Sixty-five persons of the reformativedetention class were recommended for release oil probation, and of this number 02 were released before tho end of tho year. One refused probation and was discharged 011 tlie expirlition of his sentence., Twenty-nine persons who had been recommended for rrfense in the previous year were - also released,' making a total _ol 01 for the twelve months. Two were discharged'from prison. "Of the :total-■_ 37 were still reporting at tho end'oi the 'year. Seventeen hard-labour prisoners were recommended for release 011 probation under tlio provisions of the Statute Law Amendment Act, 1917. Fifteen 01 these were released during the year, ot whom three completed the period of their probation. One left New Zealand with the reinforcements, leaving 11 still reportins aitho end of the year. tloviewing the results ot the work 01 tho board during'the'eight .rears of its existence, the report says: 'lhe contrast between the statistics of the prisoners who have undergone reformative detention and those who have been declared habitual criminals is marked.. The pro-portion-of the latter who have not offended again after release is 52 per cm. it may be pointed out, however, that la Uave absconded and liave not been traced, fire have died, 15 have left to return to their former domiciles, one lias been committed to a mental hospital and 44 aio «till under the probation officers.' lhe total number of those who have' ted fresh crimes is 92 out of 180, so tli&t 47 per cont. have returned to tnetr former criminal careers. If the past ieeiirds (wliicli are all detinvlelj bad) ct these' habitual criminals be however the board does not think that lhe result can lie termed ■ disappoint"'*, as they almost invariably lack the willwwel- to abstain from wrong-doing and so follow the line of least resistance. "Snrelv societv may reserve the right to control those who show themselves to bo unfit fcir civil life, and hence the right to impose un'dcrterniinate sentences? And to ensure its own piotecMon society may have to go evon further 'If, as seems to have bsen prwed, crime or the want of power to resist crime is hereditary .we shall take stops to prevent the breeding of tto tvpc to which, our criminals apparently fiL- There f.re in our prisons tofar mm instances of criminals who have descended from criminals and of different members of the same fani'b ft'he SStISS-S'-SS. ft s,r;U>« •"» ™'" r * cide." . —