H—2o

Age of Offenders. —Hereunder is set out a table covering the past ten years showing offenders classified in age-groups :

Apart from the reduction in the total receptions during 1948, and the lesser number in each age-group as compared with the previous year, the most satisfactory feature is the decrease in the number of young offenders sentenced to imprisonment. Since the war years, up till last year, the number of offenders under twenty-five years of age had shown an upward trend, whereas prior to this the highest incidence of crime was amongst those round about forty and over, and last year this was again the position. MISCELLANEOUS There were 2 deaths, both the result of accidents at one of the camps, recorded during 1948. Escapes.—During the year, 35 prisoners and -18 Borstal detainees escaped from custody. All of these were recaptured. Mental Defectives. —A total of 26 persons was transferred from prisons and Borstals to the various mental hospitals, 9 for observation under section 37, and 17 under section 38. Borstal Receptions. —A total of 95 males and 11 females were committed direct to Borstal by the Courts, and 2 were transferred from Child Welfare institutions. Courts-martial. —Five prisoners sentenced by military courts-martial were received into prison during the. year. GENERAL HEALTH OF PRISONERS The general health of prisoners has been good. The medical officers throughout have been regular in their attention to prisoners, as also have been the dentists. Where dental treatment has been necessary for a prisoner's health, the Department has .anticipated his earnings when he has not been sufficiently in credit and has provided the cost of dentures, recouping later, but leaving the prisoner sufficient funds for his release. There were 93 males and 8 females admitted to the public hospitals or prison infirmaries during the year. The daily average on the sick-list throughout all institutions was 20-22, which is approximately 2 per cent, of the total number in custody. In the majority of instances the sickness was due to the poor physical condition of prisoners on admission. There is a low incidence of sickness amongst prisoners generally, and this may be ascribed to the orderly routine and the simple, well-balanced, and wholesome diet. It is a notable fact that prisoners generally leave prison in a much better physical condition than when they enter.

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Age-group. 1939. 1940. 1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. J 1945. 1946. 1947. 1948. Under 20 178 203 201 308 354 283 254 294 244 190 20-25.. 424 348 478 749 639 506 524 698 713 628 25-30.. 413 322 405 531 396 354 343 341 441 428 30-40.. 612 492 533 709 490 461 470 412 486 445 40. and upwards 875 833 745 732 603 495 473 468 466 489 Not stated 3 3 7 1 1 1 Totals 2,505 2,201 2,369 3,029 2,482 2,0992,065 2,213 2,351 2,181