CRIME IN N.Z.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1920, Page 4

CRIME IN N.Z.

COMMENTS BY CHIEF JUSTICE AUCKLAND, Nov. 8. Some interesting observations upon crime in New Zealand were made by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) in the Supremo Court-this morning. His Honour, addressing the grand jury, said that although there was a large number of prisoners, crime was not increasing in New Zealand; on the contrary, it was decreasing. If they considered the number of prisoners ,relative to the population it would be seen it was only half, according to the proportion of the old days. Last year, according to the population, the number of prisoners was not much more than two thirds of what it was thirty years ago. There had been a gradual diminution of crime right through New Zealand, and, added the Chief Justice, a pleasing feature was that there was less crime amongst those who were New Zealand born and educated than among those from other places, there being a difference of 17 per cent, in favour of New Zealanders, taking only those over 15 years of age into consideration. That, no doubt, was caused by the fact that our education and upbringing ivas better than it was in many other countries. If they com. pared it Avith some of the Australian colonies, avlioso system of education was not the same as ours, they would see that Noav Zealand stood out Avell so far as crime Avas concerned. If progress Avas to be made in our social life everyone must take an interest in the changed attitude towards crime. That change was especially noticeable in England. In many places there special doctors had ben set apart to examine criminals and prisoners. A Birmingham doctor had pointed out lately that he found amongst prisoners convicted in his toAvn that a large majority of them had some mental deficiency. Anyone avlio had to do Avith prisoners in New Zealand would say the same thing. In a great number of our prisoners there AA'ero mental defectives, degenerates, and sexual degenerates. Some perhaps Avere suffering from avli at might he the sins of their fathers or grandfathers. They had como into the AA’orld Avith that burden. With this realisation the old idea of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” had been abolished. His Honour pointed out that there Avere many objects in sentencing prisoners, one of the chief being the chance of reforming and making good citizens out of the offenders. Efforts in that direction had been very successful. For example, 92 per cent, of those put on probation were doing Avell, 70 per cent of those separated for reformative treatment had been successful, and there had also been a considerable reform amongst habituate. Giving his oavii experience. the Chief Justice said that lie had been connected Avith the Con. ns for nearly fifty years and had been on the Prisons Board since its inception. He had found that the majority of prisoners coming before him haul some mental de. feet. Many had a- chance of being cured, and the attempt was made. That Avas Avhy the open air treatment was adopted and the Borstal system instituted. The prisoners did valuable Avork—thousands of pounds worth —instead of filling in their time turning an iron cylinder, as he had seen men employed. Looking hack over sixty years, one could see that our social life had improved. All that aa"o needed to still further improve it was to get rid of some of the temptations in onr cities. If Ave had less drink, and less AA’aste, and a more industrious spirit amongst us, avg would see an enormous improvement in tho social life.