A NOVEL SCHEME IN PRISON REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 79

A NOVEL SCHEME IN PRISON REFORM.

CONVICTS HAVJE THEIR OWN COURT. A few particulars aTe given in the Philippines Free Pre«,= of the somewliat remark- j .ibid experiment which ie being earned on at the lwahig Pen* 1 Colon j in the' Philippines. Summed up briefly, it may be said the settlement is really not a penitentiary but \ a reform school of the most practical kind, j The modern idea that with the exception ; of a few degenerates criminals are ordinary j human beings gone wrong and entitled to J consideration and help towards a normal l'fe is given all acceptation in lwahig and put into healthful and stimulating practice. Possibly the faithe^t limit yet cached in pursuant s of this policy is the eetabli j hment of a court compo^d of -onvicte who ?ib in judgment a-ncl pronounce upon the'r fellows Absurd as this may see, it

is giving excellent results, and that is the thing to go by. The jurors are chosen frorr? the 30 convicts who have been promoted foi good conduct to the rank of petty officer. Thest 30 select from among themselves i president and twc assessors who seive for a term of .*ix months. Then 12 jurors are chosen out of this same 30, and at 'east fix of them must sit. This court has power to impose any sentence from a fine to return to Bilibid. There are also a sheriff, who holds the rank of Ist ' sergeant, and a bailiff, whc holds the rank i of 2nd sergeant. This tribunal corresponds to a petty court, and it is planned ! to develop finally from it a superior court, the court of last resort. The idea is that of Mr Lamb., superintendent of the colony, who is also the reviewing authority, and ' it is working with the utmost satisfaction ' Another novel feature Is the work idea. When by good conduct the convicts have reached a certain stage they are etarted off with a fa ran of thek own, being given land, wcrk animals, utensils, supplies, etc All the?a have a fixed vah:e placed upon them and are entered in a little book] against the occupant of the land. The j prisoners are then supposed to work the j land and pay off their indebtednieSs. The products they chiefly raise 'are- rice' and corn and vegetables. The one condition imposed is that they, cultivate the .land and make a profit out of it. Failure means return to the regular prison brigade. That the ■pxperimeirt • s proving successful is shown by the fact that out of 6( only 13 had to be returned. It is planned to give the prisoners title to the land, ultimately, «© that when thair sentences expire they may become settlers. *. Another feature is that of the families, it bring planned to have a man' wife j and children, should be have amy, join ! him. In this connection a regular scheme of emigration to the colony is being carried on, and that with good '•esults. The family of a settler who is cultivating his land successfully receives the profit derived from it. In case there is no family the prisoner himself receives the profit in the form of luxuries and small caah allotments. 1* '$ instructive that of all the" occupations available the convicts prefer farm work, as they find they can get the greatest return? from it with the minimum of effort. Anothea fact worth noting is that these men prefer books and magazines on agriculture to any other kind. Many other novel features in this penal colony, in some respects the most- advanced in the world, might be mentioned. What i« being done there fe worthy more than- -the attention' ordinarily - given it, however," and some' day the world will want ;fco know about ; .t* » f