PRISON REPORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1927, Page 1

PRISON REPORT.

COMMITTALS INCREASE. WELLINGTON, Sept. 8. There were 4000 committals to prisons and institutions under control of the Prisons Department during 1926, according to the annual report. For 1925 there were 4713, receptions being abnormally high on account of a uumher of seamen committed to prison during the- maritime strike. For the purposes of proper comparison an adjustment should be made on account of seamen prisoners, and this shows that there has been a net increase in the number of committals by 471 over last year. It is, no doubt, symptomatic of the prevailing economic- and social conditions that the number of debtors sent to prison in 1926 should show an increase of 30 per cent over the previous year. There, has also been a fairly heavy increase in the number of persons committed to prisons for offences against properly. Tiiis was 830 in 1926, ns compared with 721 in 1925. It is noteworthy that during a period of industrial depression and unemployment the number of offences against property tends to increase, particularly thefts by young persons.

FEWER YOUNG WOMEN. CONVICTED. There lias been a pronounced increase in the number of offenders sentenced under the ago of twenty years. There was a decrease in the number of receptions of persons born overseas, principally on account of the figures last year including sailors, but there has been a decided increase in the number of New Zealand born, particularly those committed for theft and vagrancy, the numbers being 686 in 1926, as compared with 507 in 1925. On tho other hand, although there has been an increase of 21, or 16 per cent in tho total number of female offenders, there has been a decline in the number of young women offenders. WIFE DESERTERS INDOLENT.

Tiio question of crediting prisoners with wages for maintenance of dependents in necessitous circumstances has definite relation to tho profitable utilisation of prison labour. This matter has received careful attention, but recommendation for an extension of privileges has been deferred on account of tho urgent necessity for economy and the limited amount of funds available. The general question of making payments to dependents lias been the subject of exhaustive inquiry in other countries. New Zealand is one of the few places where grants are paid to dependents. It appears to he accepted as a principle that the cost of a prisoner’s keep should bo a first charge on the efforts of his labour and that any surplus should ho applied to the maintenance of I)is dependents and a fund to aid in his rehabilitation on release. Although in tho majority of cases the crediting of wages acts as an incentive to greater industrial effort on tho part of prisoners, there are many with dependents in necessitous circumstances who slacken immediately they learn that their dependents are benefiting through their efforts. This is particularly the case where doubts arc entertained as a fidelity. Tn many cases, especially the wife-deserter class, the sense of responsibility to dependents appears to bo atrophied. Such prisoners are usually indolent, and indifferent workers, and arc unable to earn sufficient. to pay the cost of their maintenance in prison. Various methods of punishment have proved abortive-.

and when under punishment such prisoners are not at labour. Deprivation of food is effective in only a few case, and such methods tend to devitalise and render the prisoners less fit for work than before. This class ol prisoner is most difficult to handle effectively, and the Department seldom gets a surplus over their cost of keep.