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1938. NEW ZEALAND.

PRISONS BOARD (ANNUAL REPORT OF) FOR 1937.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Members or the Board. Hon. Sir John Reed, Kt,., C.B.E. (President) ; Sir Donald McGavin, Kt., C.M.G., D.5.0., M.D. (Lond.), F.R.C.S. (Eng.); Hon. John Alexander, C.M.G., M.L.C. ; B. L. Dallard, Esq. j Theo. G. Gbay, Esq., C.M.G., M.8., M.P.C. ; Mrs. A. I. Eraer, M.B.E. ; and W. G. Riddell, Esq.

Str, — Bth July, 1938. I have the honour to forward herewith the report of the Prisons Board for the year 1937. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Justice. J. R. Reed, Acting-President.

REPORT OF THE PRISONS BOARD Foe the Yeak ended 31st December, 1937. The Board has to report that during the year it visited each of the prisons, prison camps, and Borstal institutions in the Dominion. It dealt with a total of 987 cases at fourteen meetings held in Wellington and at the various institutions. The following summary gives details of the cases considered and the decisions arrived at: — Cases dealt with. Board's Decisions. Persons undergoing Borstal detention .. 283 Recommended for release on probation .. 469 Persons sentenced to reformative detention 291 Deferred for further consideration . . 459 Persons sentenced to hard labour.. .. 315 Petitions declined .. .. .. 20 Habitual criminals .. •. 64 Recommended for discharge .. .. 20 Habitual offenders .. . • • • 1 Discharged from probation .. . . 12 Habitual criminals for remission of head Recommended remission of head sentence .. 2 sentence .. • • • • • • 3 Modification of terms of probation .. 5 Probationers under Crimes Amendment Act 12 Probationers under Offenders Probation Act 18 987 987 The statistics when compared with those of former reports show that the operations of the Board for 1937 have been attended with satisfactory results. During the year under review, 987 cases were considered by the Board, as compared with 1 322 in the previous year. The 1937 figures of cases considered are the lowest recorded since 1921, and are a definite reflection of the steady decline in the prison population in recent years. From year to year the percentage of successes —i.e., the offenders who " make good " —remains fairly constant. The results, however, having regard to the nature of the material dealt with, are more satisfactory.