THE PENAL SYSTEM

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 380, 11 March 1937, Page 6

THE PENAL SYSTEM

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER! ' ! PRISONS CRITICISED. I i Press Association.—Copyright. I Auckland, March 10. • As one who years ago had been ini- | prisoned' for his- political opinions the j Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Arm- I strong, to-daly showed personal interest in the arguments used by a de,pu- I tation in favour of a full and open in- ’ vettigation into the penal system of the Dominion. Mr Armstrong had been deputed 'by the Prime Minister to receive the deputation on his be, half. The deputation was sponsored by the Howard League for Penal Reform and included lawyers, clergymen, social workers 1 , educationists and business men.

Mr C. L. Gillies, on behalf of the Howard League said the fact that New Zealand had. three times as many prisoners in pro-portion To "the population as England, and more than Scotland, Northern. Ireland, the Irish Free State and Scandinavian countries for Australia showed that the state of affairs required investigation. There was evidence to show that the beneficial treatment of Borstal inmates fell far short of what it might be. The facts known concerning the probation service pointed to a greatly overworked staff, insufficient training and lack of facilities for a complete survey of the individual delinquent to determine the best method of treatment for him.

Aid pf Psychology. There was explicit evidence that the value of modern aid of psychology and psychiatry to the problems' of delinquency was neither understood nor appreciated by the authorities. It was suggested that two properly equipped and staffed observation centres' should be established, one in each island', for the full investigation of every convicted person before- sentence. “I have been very much impressed by 'the representations l you have made,” said the Minister in reply. “I will certainly convey them to the Prime Minister and the members of

the Cabinet, and I think I can give you an assurance that they will be seriously considered. Perhaps I am a little more interested because I once experienced a short term of imprisonment, though I have- nothing to apologise for I '. It was an experience that was worth while. Oui- penal system may be backward, but it. has made wonderful advance since 'then. I used to see men yarded up like cattle, decent boys and hardened criminals together.’’ A member of the deputation: “They still are, sir.” Another imember: “They work .together though they do not use the same yard.” "I do not know about the. present men,” remarked Mr Armstrong. “Speaking of prison warders, thos? I had to do with, were well meaning, but their idea of reforming prisoners' belonged to the dark ages. Warders should be the best type of individual possible, carefully selected and trained and not chosen merely for their physique.” T He agreed that there was’ n»ed for full educational facilities and training in handicrafts, which he did not believe were developed sufficiently, exc'./pt in the Borstal institutions. Men should not be kept locked up so tong in’ their cells' as had been ltlh.e rule in -his experience. He was in favour of further examination ot oft’endcTs before sentence. He Rad found that a large proportion of so-called crimin, als were simply victims of mental disease.

Among prisoners he had seen, poor old men who were in jail nncrely because they could not work and 'there Was no other place for them. It seemed to him wrong that young men should be sentenced to long terms. - of! five to 10 years when there was a possibility they might be fully reformed in on© year.