Penal Reform in England
- Author:
: L. Radzinowicz, M.A., LL.D., and J. W.
Cecil Turner, M.C., M.A., LL.B. P. S. King & Son, Ltd. 10s. 6d. net.
The first chapter deals with statistics of crime. The most striking recent development is that, allowing for all changes in conditions there is an increase in the incidence of juvenile crime. The causes of this are held to be smaller families, leading to the spoiling of children, a general lack of discipline, a failure in religious teaching, the decay of the apprenticeship system, the short- comings of our educational and industrial system in regard to the adolescent and unemployment. Many reformed penal methods are stultified by their unintelligent use, the most striking example of which is probation which has been regarded by many magistrates as a sort of universal panacea with the results that probation officers have been overloaded, often with unsuitable cases.
The next chapter deals with the trend of criminal legislation from the Gladstone Com- mittee to the Criminal Justice Bill of 1939. This is followed by an account of the various types of Court and their powers with special reference to the still imperfect schemes for free legal defence of the poor and the increasing tendency to dispense with juries in trials for criminal offences.
” Solicitor ” describes some irregularities in police procedure and in the conduct of Courts which, he claims, are becoming more common. The constitution and powers of the Juvenile Courts are next described. It is pointed out that two rather contradictory principles are involved, namely, guardianship and the punish- ment of a person who is responsible for his crime. The attitude of different courts to their function is apt therefore to vary con- siderably.
No discussion of approved schools is included in this book but the Borstal system is described and its frequently excellent results explained. Its chief weakness is the difficulty in finding for the boys on discharge such work as will fulfil the training and hope founded on this training which they have gained while in the institution. The present Prison system in this country is finally dealt with, special attention being drawn to the New Hall Camp near Wakefield, where selected prisoners are employed on farm work without restraining walls of coercive detention.
In this series of essays by experts a great deal of information is to be obtained both as to present English practice in dealing with criminals both young and old and as to possibilities of advance and reform in the future.
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