Penal Measures

It has been said that penal institutions are too comfortable but this does not agree with the facts.

Borstal trainees are, from time to time, assigned to work under canvas in difficult conditions. When the Milford Track was damaged by severe storm last year, 30 borstal trainees were sent out to clear it under the supervision of two officers. Work is also done for the New Zealand Forest Service where again there is a strenuous work programme under difficult conditions. A borstal unit is employed on a forestry project in the exposed coastal areas south of Wanganui.

Borstal trainees have been assigned to tasks where they are required to live in camp conditions and work in unpleasant and difficult situations. Planting trees at 4,000 feet in rigorous climatic conditions is an example of this.

A work camp has just been established for offenders sentenced to the detention centre. Living conditions are spartan and the work programme rigorous. The camp is in an area of the Pirongia South State Forest and trainees are scrub cutting and will later be planting trees.

The prison camps situated in the foothills of Ruapehu are bleak places, particularly in winter, and many inmates are engaged on heavy manual work.

A penal system must be positive in its approach and a number of measures have been introduced aimed at not only strict discipline but at reformation of offenders.

In June 1961, the detention centre was established at Waikeria for undisciplined youths. Some 380 offenders a year are sentenced to detention centre rtaining for a wide variety of quite serious offences. Many of these youths come from poor homes and have bad histories of offending. Had the detention centre not been available they would have received longer sentences. In view of this the fact that there has been a substantial measure of success in at least 50 per cent, of cases, shows that the detention centre is worthwhile.

Periodic detention for youths was introduced in 1963. The courts show considerable confidence in this scheme and 90 youths are attending these centres on any weekend. Research shows that the success rate is approaching 70 per cent. In 1967 periodic detention was extended to include adult offenders and this has been found particularly suitable for the married man with a family. He is punished for his offence but his capacity to be the breadwinner and retain his family links is unimpaired. A strict disciplinary regime is a characteristic of all these penal measures.

The courts are making increasing use of probation with special conditions including restitution and community work. There is a substantial measure of success in over 70 per cent. of probation cases, but the success rate with parolees is lower.

Hostels have been established to assist in the transition of inmates from the penal institutions to life in the open community. Other hostels, for probationers and parolees, are run in co-operation with church social services and other voluntary organisations.

A research section has been established in Head Office, Department of Justice, with a full time director of research. The principal functions of criminal research are to evaluate penal measures, to investigate new ways of prevention and cure and to inform the community of research findings.

Concern for the interests of the victims of crime prompted the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1963. This Act provides compensation for economic and financial losses suffered in consequence of criminal injuries.