NEW ZEALAND'S PRISONS
FEWER PERSONS HELD
ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPART.
MENT,
The annual report of the prisons of New Zealand laid • before tho House of Representatives yesterday shows that tho number of persons received into the prisons and prison institutions of the Dominion for the past year was 3150, compared with ;1112 for the previous year and -1256 for tho year- before that. 'The daily average number of prisoners, however, was 981.95, compared with 9H.2G and 942.77 for tho two previous periods. Tho increase in the daily average and the decrease in the receptions appear to lie somewhat anomalous, the report states, Put this is probably accounted ior by the fact that there was a considerable reduction in the number of short sentences imposed; while there was a substantial increase in tho number of persons sentenced' to twelve mouths and upwards. Offenders sentenced by military courtmartial to terms of hard jabonr exceeding twelve months no doubt provided the bulk of tho longor sentences. Without this class of prisoner the daily average and reception figures would have more nearly _approximated, •
Detailed figures of tils military offenders show that while the daily average was 222.9 in 1918, it was only 51.1 in 1917, and 3.0 in 191 G. If these figures are deducted from the totals it will be seen that tho daily average number ■ of criminal prisoners was 939.7 in 1916, 860.1 in 1917, and only 759.0" in 1918.
Prom these figures it is satisfactory to note that tho criminal population in the prisons during the year 1918 was less by 134.2 in the daily' average than in 1913, the last statistical year beforo the commencement of tho war. Recent returns indicate, however, that the current year is likely-to, end with a higher daily average of sentenced criminal prisoners than was the case in the year under review, the total daily average of all classes of' prisoners for the year ended March 31 last being 1993.4 as against 911.1 for the previous twelve months. , During the past year the number of military offenders. serving terms of imprisonment in the civil prisons reached the highest total recorded during the war period, there being 293 prisoners of this class in the ,different prisons of the: Dominion in the month of March, 1918. The policy of separating this class of prisoner from tlie criminal class, and employing them on useful reproductive work has been continued. The larger proportion of the military prisoners worked and conducted themselves satisfactorily while in confinement, but there were certain grave exceptions to this rule. 'j.'he; presence of a few agitators in two institutions led on more than one occasion to a policy of passive resistance on the part of a section of the military offenders that caused the officers a considerable amount of trouble. Firmness in dealing with the ringleaders and the rank and file of those who rebelled against authority had, however, the usual effect, and for some time past there has been no re'crudescencq of the trouble. If it should unfortunately happen that a' similar situation shouid again arise, it is, honed that an endeavour will be made to confine military offeudcrs. in camps or other places entirely outside the jurisdiction of the Prisons Department. ,Tho improved systems of interclas'sificafcion at Waikeria and Invercnrgill referred to in the last' report have worked satisfactorily, and arrangements are now m progress for building a superstructure on the foundation thus, created. Tho progress of the buildings in course of erection at both places has given muchneeded facilities in this direction, that have hitherto been entirely -wanting. It is honed that the present year will be the last in which it will be necessary to nrovide accommodation for a large number of military offenders.- The provision rennired for this class of prisoner has militated seriously against 'tho advancement desired in the proper separation and classification of the different types of criminal prisoners, and it is only by their final .disappearance from the civil prison that it will be; possible to establish and'* maintain a really satisfactory system in the mors recently-created institutions, Hitherto the accommodation has been too limited, and tho buildings too obsolete in their internal arrangements to enable any substantial im--provement to be made.
In spite of the shortage of staff caused bv war conditions, tho Prisons Department hns'conti nued to carry on its work with comparative efficiency. It will now perhaps be possible to extend the work ill various essential directions by the creation of branches it has hitherto been imnossibl? to establish. . This particularly annlies/to the establishment, of a section to deal more effectively with'nrobation and preventive work. , This branch has been hampered by the absence of a permanent staff, conseouent lack of a thorough system of organisation. New Zealand has always fallen far short.'of its oblivion in this direction, and it is finite lime that this branch of social Teform work received adequate State attention.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 309, 25 September 1919, Page 7
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819NEW ZEALAND'S PRISONS Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 309, 25 September 1919, Page 7
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