§ 38. Mr. BARRasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to secure the classification of prisoners and the establishment of separate reformative institutions for young offenders in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, respectively, since the publication of the annual report for 1928 for these Colonies?
§ Dr. SHIELSAs the answer is necessarily a, long one, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Speaking generally, prisoners are classified in all three Territories according to the length of sentence, and, again, in certain cases, these classes are divided into first offenders and persons previously convicted. So far as circumstances permit, the classes are kept separate.
§ As regards young offenders:
§ In Kenya, an attempt is being made to introduce a modified form of Borstal training.
§ In Uganda, all juveniles are transferred to the juvenile section of the new central gaol at Luzira, which is now nearing completion. When complete, this gaol will provide accommodation on most modern lines for 1,000 prisoners, with separate sections for Europeans, Asiatics and natives, both male and female, as well as for juveniles and remand 1301 prisoners. At the present moment the Government of Uganda has also under consideration a Reformatory Schools Bill.
§ In Tanganyika, there is no institution yet for juvenile offenders, the number under detention at any time being extremely small.
§ I would add that the question of juvenile offenders received special consideration at the recent Colonial Office Conference, and my Noble Friend has now recommended to Colonial Governments generally the introduction of legislation on the lines of a draft Bill which was prepared by a committee over which I presided, and which is in accord with modern British legislation and opinion on the subject.