XN000022-1981-02-27 — Page 9

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1981

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PRISONER RE-ADMISSION RATE LOW

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ALMOST HALF OF THE DISCHARGED PRISONERS HAD NOT BEEN RE-ADMITTED IN THE THREE YEARS FOLLOWING THEIR DISCHARGE, THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR THOMAS GARNER, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONIAL PARADE OF PRESENTATION OF CLASPS TO THE COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDAL, MR GARNER SAID THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE VARIOUS PROGRAMMES CARRIED OUT IN INSTITUTIONS AND IT IS NOW IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO CALCULATE THE RE-ADMISSION RATE OF EXPRISONERS USING AS A YARDSTICK A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FOLLOWING DISCHARGE.

OF THE 6 122 PRISONERS DISCHARGED IN 1977, A TOTAL OF 2 874 OR 46.95 PER CENT WERE NOT RE-ADMITTED IN THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 1980, HE SAID.

POINTING OUT THAT IN MANY RESPECTS THE AIMS OF IMPRISONMENT AS A PUNISHMENT AND DETERRENT CONFLICTED WITH THE AIM OF CORRECTION, MR GARNER SAID: THIS MAKES OUR TASK THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BUT IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT SUCH WORK MUST BE DONE.+

+HOWEVER, WE ARE MOST CERTAINLY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THE MORE TOOLS WE HAVE TO DO THE JOB THE BETTER WILL BE THE RESULT, HE SAID.

MR GARNER EMPHASISED THAT THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT MUST STRIVE TO IMPROVE CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMMES DESPITE THE MANY PRESSURES WHICH IT MUST CONSTANTLY FACE AND THE FACT THAT FIRST PRIORITY OF THE SERVICE IS THE CARE AND SAFE CUSTODY OF THOSE WHO WERE COMMITTED TO INSTITUTIONS.

HE ALSO STRESSED THAT THE WORD 'CORRECTION' BEST DESCRIBES THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN THE WORD 'REHABILITATION".

MR GARNER ALSO SAID THAT THE OUTPUT OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIES IN 1980 TOTALLED $29.8 MILLION - AN INCREASE OF 34 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

DURING THE CEREMONY TODAY, MR GARNER PRESENTED FIRST AND SECOND CLASPS TO THE COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDAL TO 10 MEMBERS OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO HAD TOGETHER SERVED SOME 270 YEARS WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

THE RECIPIENTS INCLUDE TWO PRINCIPAL OFFICERS, ONE OFFICER, SIX ASSISTANT OFFICERS AND ONE LABOURER.

THE COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDAL IS AWARDED FOR 18 YEARS EXEMPLARY SERVICE, WITH A FIRST CLASP FOR 25 YEARS AND THE SECOND CLASP FOR 30 YEARS.

ALSO TAKING PART IN THE CEREMONIAL PARADE WERE 200 PRISON OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE, SENIOR SUPER INTENDENT JOHN ASHWORTH.

AMONG THE GUESTS WERE 50 DISABLED PERSONS FROM THE ABERDEEN REHABILITATION CENTRE WHO WERE ENTERTAINED TO A SERIES OF PROGRAMMES ARRANGED BY PRISON OFFICERS AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE DISABLED.