DRIFT TOWARD CRIME

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 697, 24 November 1933, Page 4

DRIFT TOWARD CRIME

Although the slight increase which has taken place in New Zealand's prison population is not sufficient to be disturbing, and is largely symptomatic of the times, there are one or two disquieting pasSages in the annual report o'f the ConiptrollerGeneral of Prisoris Which was recently presented to ihe House. One of these, which has particular relation to the northern districts of the North Island and among which Rotorua is included, refers to the increase in crime among Maoris particularly of the younger generation. "The number of Maori prisoners received during 1932 shows an increase of 16.6 per cent over the previous year, representing an increase of 100 per. cent on the number received during 1928. This growth of crxme among the younger Maoris, particularly in the North Auckland | districts, is a disquieting feature," states the report. "Probation has proved to be largely futile, as this form of trea.tment is regarded by the natives as the equivalent to 'getting off,' and when on probation any constructive supervision is difficult to apply, as these offenders laze around the pas under conditions of indiscipline and idleneSs which in no way conduce to the d.evelopment of any sense of social responsibility in their reformation." Those who have the welfare of the Maori race at.heart will iio'te'this as a disquieting devel-

l opment and one which apparently requires some corrective measures. In another section the report refers to the beneficial effect of reformative Borstal treatment and records that only a very small percentage of those released after a period of reformative or Borstal treatment again appear before the courts. It would appear, therefore, that the clemency of probation in many cases is not acting as a deterrent and that reformative detention would be a more effective protection to society in the j case of young native offenders. The peculiar circumstances of the Maori environment in many cases largely nullify the effect of probationary supervision and it is probable that the imposition of terms of reformative detention where the offenders would be placed in a disciplined environment would do something to check the drift toward crime that has been noted- among a section of the native population.