REFORMATIVE DETENTION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5300, 16 July 1928, Page 3

REFORMATIVE DETENTION

THE BORSTAL INSTITUTION'S. SYSTEM EXPLAINED. “A good, deal has been made of escapes from the Southern Borstal Institution within the la&t few years,” said the Minister of Justice (Hon. F. J. Rolleston) at. the s,octal and dance held by the combined East and Central branches of the Junior, Reform League at Wellington recently. “A number of people are saying,” said Mr Rolleston, “that the inmates should be kept in such a way that, escape is impossible, which is absolutely opposed to the Borstal system of training The. boys are to be trusted, and if occasiionly one or two get away, it is only to be expected.” He pointed out that; boys at such an age, between 15 and 21, were very high-spirited, and some were apt to “make a bolt for it” when the occasion seemed favourable. There were 250 boys in the institution, and it was, surprisiing if one or two did not make a dash for freedom. The balance were to be trusted.

“The Borstal system,” continued the Minister, “had been in operation in New Zealand for only five and a-.half years, but on the results had shown itself very satisfactory. Out of 1504 inmates only 7 per cent, had come- back asecond time' to the institution, which meant that probably the other 93 per cent, had made good. Even with a very smaller percentage of returns the system might be termed successful.” SYSTEM EXPLAINED Explaining the system. Mr Rolleston said “that there had’bee-n a great change in the way in which the' wrongdoer was looked upon by society, in the old. days the criminal was. looked upon as a subject for punishment, and nothing else. Many put forward the argument, that, crime was a disease. This was a. convenient theory, but could not be accepted wholly. It was necessary in the interests’ of society for the wrongdoer to be restrained or withheld 1 in some way or another. Some were unfortunate enbugh to be born and brought up in bad: surroundings and bad company. These ■sometimes went astray and had to be taught correctly. The younger wrongdoe,rs, between the; ages of 15 and 21, ■instead of being herded with hardened criminals (so giving them no possible chance of reformation), were sent to Borstal institutions. . The surroundings there were far bettor and gave them a greater chani.ee of becoming useful citizens. At the Borstal institutions, they were not called prisonersi, but, iinnates. There were two of these institutions for boys in New Zealand, one. .in the South island and one in the North Island. The whole, idea was to correct the bad tendencies in these people, so that when they went back to society they would become useful -citizens. They unrned out in he great majority of cases reformed characters and good members of society. In the. institution a sense of citizenship, moral sense, responsibility, honour, and trust were gradually developed among the inmates. THE GIRLS’- INSTITUTION. Dealing briefly'with the gT,ls’ institution at Point Halsiwell, the Minister said that out of 63 admitted only two had returned. There was not so much scope there for, work as there; wa's on the land, where the boys were kept busy at all kinds of farm work and trades, but girls were instructed in gardening, housework, cooking, and other domestic duties. Mr C. E. Harvey, in moving a motion of thanks to the speaker, said he could endorse all that had beep, said about he good work that was being carried out. He had visited one institut.icn, and the inmates had all seemed very happy, and it was more like a home than a reformative institution.