The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1912 HABITUAL CRIMINALS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 August 1912, Page 2

The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1912 HABITUAL CRIMINALS.

.Xew Zealand ofton is said to be leading the world in legislation, but occasionally she follows other countries' examples and derives benefit from the change. Such ail instance eceurred when she copied from Australia the "indeterminate sentence" which that country copied from American examples. The indeterminate sentence is the <,no form of punishment that the casehardened criminal really dreads, and lie is known to make speedy departures from such countries as put it into operation. Quite apart from this aspect, Xew Zealand feels benefits from the legislation by reason of the continued oversight exercised over the most insistent of her criminally-disposed population through the provisions of Tht Crimes Amendment Act of 1910." In a Parliamentary Paper to hand this week, we note a report by Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, on the | operation of the Prisons Board, ! which has the oversight of prisoners sentenced to indeterminate periods. This sets out that the number of prisoners that have been seen by the Board and who have been heard ■by it is sixty habitual criminals, and 105 subject ito reformatory treatment. The Board has also heard many of these prisoners on more than one 'occasion. The num'ber of prisoners that the Board has recommended to His Excellency the Governor to be let ou<t of gaol on probation .is sixty-four (twentyseven- habitiml criminals and thirtyseven prisoners snbiocf roPrivmn.

tire treatment). Three reforma tive-treatment prisoners have bcei recommended for unconditional re lease. Where application for re lease is made the Board attempt: to see. the prisoners, and to heai fully what they have to say. 'fhi; is why the hoard, or a committee ol the board, has met twice in the New Plymouth Prison, where habitna' criminals are detained. The boar<! has not, however, been able as yei to see all the prisoners who are confined for reformatory treatment. A full and unrestrained hearing is gifen to every prisoner who desires to state his, case before the board. The board in determining whether release or probation sftould he granted has to consider (1) the past history of the prisoner, (2) whether there is any evidence that lic is likely .to be a good citizen in the future, (3) what chance he'has of obtaining employment, (4) what conditions should bo placed in the probation license under which he will be released. Tn some cases the board has reluctantly mine to the conclusion that to advise the release of some applicants for probation would, at the present time, be inadvisable. In some cases th e prisoners are unable to fight the battle of; life, and if'they wore released they would again commit crane. The board has also had brought beforn it some who are mentally defective, and who are, the Board believes, not fit to be at large. They are not so defective as to be relegated to a mental hospital. I*it they want, will-power, and the board is afraid it is hopeless to expect that those who are—to use a term that lins been applied to them in England—".moral idiots" can ever be turned into useful citizens. In several cases the the past careet of the prisoner, and his conduct in gaol, give no satisfactory evidence that he is fit to be released. There are other .cases in whioh a release .might 1)0 -granted if any employment could have been found foi tbem. ~ -These? last-named cases are, few. '- The' board lii w '"■! U~"?i!i.£-kt'.--r->~'i-.\\-L.;-■.;■"-.■<'* r 'r-'-iJ''"i ''"-O

releasing prisoners always attempts to find profitable and proper employment for the prisoners so released. Tho board prefers to send prisoners to country districts, and it is glad to state that in many instances settlers, having first been informed of the past career of the prisoners have accepted them as employees, and in the great majority of these cases there has been up to the present no recurrence of crime. The board has put many of those released under strict conditions in cases where, judging by their past history, they would fall into temptation if facilities were given to them of obtaining alcohol. The conditions inserted in the license have been that the prisoner shall not visit- .any puiblic house, and shall not taste alcohol. In other cases meeting with old fellow criminals often leads to the commission of new crimes, and, as far as possible, steps have boon taken to prevent such meetings. The board also considers* in recommending the release of prisoners, whether there is any proof that tho will-power of the prisoner is such that he can resist temptation. How a prisoner disposes of the small sum that is set apart for habitual criminals — namely, Cd a day—sometimes affords a guide how the prisoner is likely to net when released from prison. Some prisoners carefully and thriftily save their money and havo it placed to their credit; whilst others waste every penny that they are allowed to spend in purchasing such luxuries as are permitted. It cannot bo expected that prisoners who have followed a career of crime for many years can all at once become good citizens, nor that their will-power will be so strong as to prevent their falling again into the ways of crime. There is, however, great hope that those who are young when the offences for which they have been punished have been committed will be able to become good citizens. Even, however, some- of those who have' been .many times convicted havo shown a desire to live without preying upon the community. It is too early yet to say what the effect may be of the many reIcasos.on probation that have been ■granted. A few wlio have been released on probation were only a few days out of gaol before they again reverted to a criminal caiver. Tf the ages of those undergoing reformative treatment whom ~i« !

hoard lias recommended for release on probation-are examined, it will 1)e seen that tlic board Inas considered that probation is more fitting to, and should sooner bo tried with the young than those who are past middle life. The board feels that, under present conditions, there \s a better chance of youth reforming if let out on probation, under strict conditions, as to drink, etc., than in being associated in the city gaols with old criminals. The board desires to point out that if there is to be any great success in reformative treatment two things arc necesvsary: (1) The warders in the gaols must be systematically trained; (2) there, must l)e efficient and properly arranged prison buildings. The board places the suggestions as to warders first. Jt must not be overlooked that the Dominion is introducing a new prison system. Formerly detention, and insisting on work, were what was deemed of main importance, in the treatment of prisoners. What was done, on reformative lines was slight, and without fliiy defined system. Ii the proposals recently made are to be fairly tried, there is the "utmost necessity of giving the warders an opiwrtunnity of receiving n . thorough training in the modem methods of reformative treatment. The teachers intrusted to carry out such training will require to be men who have made criminology and penology a, study, and who have a knowledge o ftho psychology of criminals. The responsibilities of warders under any system of reformative discipline are great, and it is not fair,, without giving them every assistance to equip themselves for their arduous task, to impose these additional responsibilities upon them. The board is not casting any reflection upon the present warders, hut considers it its duty to point out, in their interests, as "well as in the interests of the prisoners under their charge, that they cannot ho expected to know intuitively the requirements of ,a scientific reformative treatment, and they should therefore obtain a thorough training in the work expected of them.