SHOPLIFTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1933, Page 8

SHOPLIFTERS

MAGISTRATE VIEWS PROBLEM

“DECALOGUE A BACK NUMBER.” MELBOURNE, February 23. . A statement on the problem of deal-, ing satisfactorily with women shoplifters was made by a magistrate, Mr E. It. Stafford, at the Mebourne Police . (jourt recently, when Mary Petcli, .aged 23 years, married, was charged with having stolen from a shop a frock, valued at £o 10s. ,

'Mr Stafford: Last week we gave Mrs Fetch time to consider whether she would go to a Salvation Army institution or go to gaol for 12 months, (lo Mrs Petcli): Have you thought over this matter?

' Mrs Petch: I am not prepared to go to a home;

‘ Sister Monica: I think that Mrs Fetch’s own denomination might have

a chance of reforming her in some way. .If you imposed- a short sentence we would be prepared to take her into a Catholic institution. Mr Stafford: But we cannot send her to you. I think that this is an opportune time for me to say a word or two on this matter. With all respect to psychiatrists and alienists who attribute this particular form of crime to psychological or mental; disturbances, there is little doubt that the real cause is not physical or mental, but moral \yeakness, Our statute law is based largely upon-divine laws, which we call tjfie Ten Commandments. We may judge however, from Court experience at any rate, that the Decalogue is, with many, a back number. Its thunders cause no alarm, and its restraints are not recognised. : “It seems to me that the cure for this particular class of crime is a r ®* newal of the divine relationship, and the inculcation of the great moral principles which are covered by the tables of stone received on Mount Sinai. Gaol is certainly not a proper place for that reformation. It has its deterrent ef-

fect, and must be used with that enc* ip- view. It is the moral standard which needs to be , raised, rather than the mental storms to be reduced. In my opinion provision should be made for j,he. direct ■ committal for a definite period of such offenders as this woman —one - who has a record, and yet in vyhom there is a chance of reform —-to one of the reformative institutions which are represented here to-day by Sjster An'der&oh, of the Salvation Army, and Sister Monica.”

s A sentence of imprisonment for ’l2 months was imposed on Mrs Fetch. Mr Stafford said that he hoped that the authorities'-would trnrisfer the woman to a more, suitable environment.