PROBATION ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1920, Page 1

PROBATION ACT

EXTENSION OF TEE PROVISIONS. (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 6. The Offenders Probation Bill introduced in the House of Representatives, extends the scope of the present First Offenders Probation Act, by giving Judges and Magistrates power to grant probation to all classes of offenders', whether first offenders or not, instead of imposing on them sentences of imprisonment. . : The Minister for Justice explained today that during the last thirty years, 3,466 persons of both sexes had been given the benefit of probation and only 185 had abused the leniency. It was to be made possible to place an offender on probation for five years, instead of only three. There was another clause to give power to prohibit the publication of the names of first offenders. Probationers were to be given power to apply to the Prisons Board for discharge from probation. There would lie no publicity about the proceedings. Where a probationer committer a breach of las probation, it would be possible to bring him before a Magistrate, and have him fined or imprisoned, instead of going before the Supreme Court with all the delay and trouble attendant upon that procedure. An offender ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, could he required to report to the probation officer under the same conditions as a probationer.