OFFENDERS GRANTED PROBATION

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 6

OFFENDERS GRANTED PROBATION

Total Of 879 Last Year drift from social STANDARDS

The drift from recognized social standards following the upheaval caused by the war is referred to by the chief probation officer, Mr. B. L. Dallard, in bis annual report, for 1941. He states that an examination of the reports of district probation officers shows that probationers have reacted reasonably satisfactorily, the number who have relapsed being just over 10 per cent, of the total dealt with. “During the year 879 persons were .admitted to probation by the Courts in lieu of more severe forms of punishment,” states Mr. Dallard. “The majority of those placed on probation were in the post-adolescent age-group, 458 being under 25 years of age and 38 per cent, of the total dealt with being under 20 years of age. There has been no material increase in the aggregate number of offenders dealt with, if those committed for breaches of the National Service Act are excluded, thus the fact emerges that while it may be- satisfactory to observe a steady diminution in the'number of older offenders who relapsed into crimp it is less satisfactory to observe that the criminal ranks are so readily filled by a steady inflow of young offenders, and largely first offenders. Kedanrative Policies. “Reelamative policies in penal methods—be it by an efficient probation system or by wise prison treatment — are at best ‘an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.’ It is the initial lapse into crime that should be averted. Is it that our methods of penal treatment are not adequately deterrent to prevent such a lapse, or is it that our social code and our ethical standards are at fault? The. initial lapse is not the fault of the penal methods, but is rather an indictment of our social institutions whose function it is to instil the fundamentals of moral conduct the home, ihe school, and . the Church. It has to lie admitted that the war has undoubtedly brought in its wake a crop of social problems, the quickened tempo of life, the anxieties, and the loosening of conventional restrictions, these all tend toward a drifting from socially acceptable standards —sacrilege and sacrifice are the strange bedfellows of war. “The amount of money collected by probation officers from probationers by way of restitution during the financial year ended March 31, 1942, was £4563. The requirement to make restitution is a salutary factor in probation. The total amount collected since the inception of the scheme is ' now more than £92,200. Present conditions have facilitated the ready absorption of probationers into employment, and in this connexion the department has had the ready co-operation of State Placement Officers. Over 80 probationers proceeded overseas on active service during the year, and' at December 31 many more were undergoing training.” Release on Parole.

The report states that the statistics show that during the year 1941, 317 persons were released from institutions on probationary licence on the recommendation of the Prisons Board (figures relating to parole deal with persons released on licence from a prison, reformatory or Borstal institution, .as distinct from those admitted to probation in the first instance by the Courts). Of these, only two were recommitted to prison for breaches of the conditions of their licences, while 16, including 10 habitual criminals, had their licences cancelled for further offences.

“Considering the difficulties with which these parolees are generally faced in endeavouring to re-establish themselves in the community, the small percentage of failures must be regarded as distinctly encouraging,” says Mr. Dallard. “The effectiveness of this method of parole may be gauged from the fact that during the past five years 1548 persons, excluding habitual criminals, were released from institutions on licence, and during that period only 8.6 per cent, were returned to institutions for breaches of the conditions of their licence, and only 27.5. per cent. hi»ve again been convicted subsequent to completion of the probationary period.”