,V H.—2oa.

, 1942. N E W' ZEALAND.

PRISONS BOARD. (ANNUAL REPORT OF) FOR 1941.

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

Members of'ThS Board. Hon. Sir Hubert Ostler,' Et. (PrAeidantft 'Sir Bonal'I) MoGAVirf, Kt.,''G.ffl.G., IXS.O.', M.O. (Lond!), F:R;C.S. (Eng.); i Hon'. Joifti ALEXAsnEB. C.M.Gp., M.L.C..; B. L. Dallarlj, Esq.'J.'THBO. Qi GRA-fy Esq., <C.>M.G. ( M.B/, M'.P.C.; . andiEBNESTi.EDRmGBy .EsqSir, — 25th June," 1942. l I haVe the honour to forward herewith the report of this Prison's Board for-the year" 1941. I have, &c., ' H. H. Ostler, The Hon. the Minister of Justice. ** President. REPORT OF THE PRISONS. BOARD. v For':the Year ended 31st December, 1941. The Board has ta-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 1,041 cases at fifteen meetings held in Wellington rfnd at-the various institutions. The following summary gives details of the cases considered and the decisions arrived at: — Oases dealt with. . Board's Decisions. Persons undergoing Borstal detention .. 402 Recommended for release, on probation .. . 498 Persons sentenced to reformative detention 303 Deferred for.later consideration .. 491 Persons sentenced to hard labour .. 262 Petitions declined .. .. ... 25 Habitual criminals .. .. .. 39 Recommended for discharge .. .. 8 Habitual offenders .. .. .. .. Discharged from probation .... ... 16 Habitual criminals for remission of head Recommended remission of head sentence 3 sentence .. .. .. .. 4' Modification of terms of probation Probationers underr&imeSs. Amendment Act <i 14 Probationers under Offenders Probation Act i 17 • i— It 041 l I<o4l The'urgent necessity for general economy iti the* present state of affairs warrants only a verjy'lmef review of the Board's operations for the past year. The total number of cases dealt with by the Board ih'l94l was 1',041,' or 16 mofd than for' 1940, while 525 persons were recommended for a remission of sentence, as against's4l in 1940. The statistics when compared with those of former reports show that the percentage of offenders who make good after release has been maintained. Approximately 22 per cent, only of the total number released after undergoing sentences, of. Borstal detention, and 'reformative detention or imprisonment with hard labour have been reconvicted or failed to comply with the conditions of their release. When dealing with persons detained under the foregoing sentences the Board aims, wherever reasonably possible, particularly in respect of young or first offenders, to permit of a substantial portion of the sentence being served on license. This period of conditional release is regarded by the Board as being the final stage of the treatment prior to the discharge becoming absolute. The results obtained in