XN000022-1974-01-09 — Page 19

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Wednesday, January 9, 1974

STRICTER DISCIPLINE NEEDED IN TRAINING CENTRES

**

Tougher measures are necessary in training centres to deal effectively

with young and less responsive offenders, the Secretary for Security, the

Hon, G.F. Lloyd, told the Legislative Council today.

"Experience has shown that in these centres there is now a need for

a sharper regime with stricter discipline. This should be most effective

for an increasing number of the younger and less amenable offenders there,"

he said when moving the second reading of the Training Centres (Amendment)

Bill 1974.

The bill aims to clarify and strengthen existing legislation governing

training centres.

It makes clear that courts should not remand unsuitable persons for

detention in training centres, and reduces from nine to six months the minimum

period of detention so that those who respond to short, sharp treatment need

not be detained longer than necessary.

In the case of a detainee who is at large, the bill provides for a

declaration to be made declaring that detainee "incorrigible." The balance of

his sentence may then be commuted to imprisonment. This already applies to

detainees actually in training centres.

The bill also reduces the period of supervision following a detainee's

release,

from four to three years from the date of sentence. This is to

remove an exisitng anomaly whereby a detainee released early, because of good

response to training, is supervised for a longer period than one who did not

respond.

Under the