SEXUAL OFFENCES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2343, 18 October 1921, Page 3

SEXUAL OFFENCES

PRISON BOARD’S RESOLUTION.

The New Zealand Prisons Board has passed the following resolution: —Whereas an increasing number of sexual offences has been the subject of frequent and serious judicial comment, especially in cases where young children were the victims, or the very serious nature of the charge connoted a perversion dangerous to the moral well-being of society; and as the experience of the board in dealing with prisoners of this class accords, as far as it goes, with the now generally ae-\ cepted opinion that, with certain exceptions, persons committing unnatural offences labour under physical disease or disability, or mental deficiency or disorder, or both, which accounts for the sexual perversion and the morbid character of the offence charged. It is resolved by the Prisons Board to strongly recommend to the Government an amendment of the Crimes Act under which such offenders could be dealt with scientifically:—(l) Before the sentence is pronounced, byfurnishing expert medical or surgical reports or evidence; (2) by sanctioning an indeterminate sentence; (3) by segregating persons so sentenced, and subjecting them, under proper safeguards, to any medical or surgical treatment which may be decided necessary or expedient either for their own good or in the public interest.