The Wairarapa Dily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1886. FIRST OFFENDERS ACT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2373, 14 August 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Dily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1886. FIRST OFFENDERS ACT.

Ah ACT has been paused by the Legislature, this session which may be expected to have a beneficial effect on the Colony by purging, its oriminal class. The now measure is described by the Auckland Weekl/Newa in tba .following terma.i-r-" The long title of the Aoft is a conciao description of its object, it is "An Act to Permit; the Conditional Release of First' Offenders for Probation of Good Conduct," As it appeared in its.passage through the Lower House—for the amendments of Counoil,: to which the Lower Chamber acceded, have not been communioated to'us—it covets all indictable offences, except those of violence To the person, threats of Violence burglary, coining, and such as show an established criminal Mention;, and the offenders coming under its provisions are those of .previous good. ■ character, against whom no' indictment has been previously laid, or warrant Issued, or conviction; recorded, The machinery of the. apt is .simple. A probation officer,who'may.be.a.police iffioer, or any other appointed for the purpose by ihe Governor, :has : . for his duty to enquire into the character And offence

;»fomation| ancl to : .^y :v 4&':;ffcteg ort me&dalioh ' the? .Court; ;|on;'-''['je»' 'fording,;' the■','. .verdict, -of;,; guilty; 'may/'.Order that";the.'.offender,: inetead of being seat to prison; maybe ,released:on whatis virtually ■ a picket of leave, subject to similar conditions as tp police surveillance and,periodical, j reports,' aiid subject ..also to. giving aeourity for- the costs of arrest'and. prosecution, As we have said, a measure similar in moat respects, but comprehending every kind _of offence against the, law, has been in operation in. the State of; Massachusetts in the United States for over five years; and on every ground of economy, as well as efficiency, it has.been attended; with marked success; and Mr Howard Vincent, formerly director of Criminal Inveatigitiona in England, who lately visited this colony, and recommended th« principle to the acceptance of our Qovomuiont, based on bia experience of it in America, introduced a similar measure into the British House of Commons a few months ago, which of course, lapsed with the prorogation and dissolution of parliament, It ig assorted that the result of a similar measure in Boston has been. to reolaim to society 85 per cent, of those who '.have boan permitted to take advantage of its provisions, and.if we pbtaiij in New Zealand a similar advantage ftoni its operation, the Act will be the bright spot of our criminal legislation. Reformation rather than punishment is the most intelligent; and profitable method of dealing with' criminals. In faet punishment is only so far an advautage to the community as it brings about, the reformation of a criminal. ' In old times the criminal law was wont to be regarded as the avenger of wrong doing, but generation by generation clearer lights as to the right mode of dealing with crime have been developed.' It is now recognised that the utmost terrors of tho law are less effective on an offender than his own conscience, if the latter be aroused, that crime, is punished without the intervention of the. criminal code, and that tho effect of the latter is often in the direction of Bearing and dulling the inward monitor, which uuder.other treatment would both punish and. reform. Of course the artificial state of society renders a criminal code a necessity, and it is imperative that the public safety should be preserved by restraining the liberty of those who would injure society if left at large. As the world grows older and better, however, the importance of fitting oriminals who have forfeited their liberty by misconduct to agaiu mix .with-their fellow men, becomes.,recognised, and it is an honor to New Zealand that a measure has been'placed on our Statute Book to give first offenders a period of probation whioh may arrest their downward career. The day perhaps will come when the State, having solved the difficulty of dealing with first offences, may be able in a similarly enlightened epirifc to convert hardened criminals into, decent and useful members of society, i