§ 42. Mr. T. E. HARVEYasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the statements by the Governor and by the chaplain of Pentonville prison, quoted by the Prison Commissioners in their Report for 1916-17, as to the large number of young lads who receive sentences of one month or less who might have been dealt with in a better way than by short sentences of imprisonment; whether he has called the attention of Metropolitan police magistrates to this condition of things; and whether any steps are being taken to prevent its continuance?
§ Sir G. CAVEI have seen the statements referred to. The Home Office has repeatedly communicated with magistrates deprecating the passing of short sentences of imprisonment on young persons and explaining the alternatives of probation, supervision, Borstal training, etc. The Home Office also frequently communicates with justices with regard to individual cases brought to notice by the Prison Commissioners. I believe that magistrates generally sympathise with this view and are most reluctant to send young persons to prison if any alternative which carries a reasonable hope of success is open to them, but there must always remain some in which the conditions of the crime and the circumstances of the case are such that a sharp sentence of imprisonment cannot be avoided.
§ Mr. HARVEYCannot a practical reform be carried out by increasing the number of probation officers by employing a certain number of discharged wounded soldiers as probation officers?
§ Sir G. CAVEQuite lately we have sent a circular to justices calling attention to the need of keeping up the number of probation officers.
§ Colonel YATECould not a practical reform be carried out by giving these boys a good birching?