PRISON PRETENCES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 8

PRISON PRETENCES

PLEA FOR PENAL REFORMS SOLICITOR'S ADDRESS Pleading for the clearing away of pretences, as the firet step toward genuine penal reform, mentioning particularly reformative detention and hard labour m being identical, Mr. F. A. de la Mare, solicitor, of Hamilton, delivered an interesting address on the Borstal system at a wellattended meeting of the Howard League of Penal Reform last evening. showing that the interests of a prisoner and of the community are identical, he pointed out the great differences between the Borstal method in England which concentrates on the study and training of the individual boy and girl for full citiienship and the New Zealand practice which does not consider their individual aptitudes and needs. He said the prisons Board, in placs of inspiring confidence, fosters the feeling of injustice into the prisoners' minds, since the controller general is not only the chief witness against the inmate but also hie judge, and is dependent upon the warder’s report, which is purely disciplinary. Mr. de la Mare explained that the New Zealand Borstals do not correspond with the English pattern, which is that of an English public school. These institutions are divided into houses, each with a house master and staff, including matrons. The gates stand open by day and the institution looks like a school, even to the clothing used. There is nothing merely penal about these institutions and the training in crafts and farming is very thorough. The Borstal Aftercare Association undertakes complete supervision for a year after discharge. PUBLIC SCHOOL PATTERN In New Zealand there is no suggestion of the public school pattern or of the house system, either at Invercargill or Waikeria, still less are there house masters and matrons. The house system in England was framed with a view to classification and of fuller understanding of the individual boy. This also avoids the depraving influences of the general exercise yard, which are hardly fit places for normal men, segregated as they are from normal women’s society. The espionage system makes for discipline and not for character, he said, since a bad man may be a verr good prisoner and a good man of independent character may take very badly to this pernicious practice. He also compared the treatment of sick prisoners. The practice in New Zealand prisons is to view with suspicion every inmate who reports sick and to keep him locked in his cell on half ration. There Is no grievance more keenly felt than this in oar prisons. This is not English BorsttJ method. “If our system has pretences, let us be rid of them,” concluded the speaker. “If our Borstal system is not Borstal, but prison, let us make up our mind that we will create such a public sentiment that the falsity will be dispelled and our institutions be reformed on the best lines of modern penal methods.”