Correspondence

Tile TENTH INTERNATIONAL PENAL AND PENITENTIARY CONGRESS AT PRAGUE.

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sia,—It may interest some of your readers to have a brief account of the proceedings of the tenth International Penal and Penitentiary Congress which met this year at Prague on August 24th, and which completed its business last Saturday.

These congresses have been held normally every five years since the year 1872 in various capitals under the auspices of the International Penitentiary Commission, which under the secretaryship of Sir Simon van der Au has its headquarters at Berne.

The aim of these congresses would appear to be to influence the legislatures of the civilized world in the framing and amending of their penal laws by confronting them with the resolutions passed by this body of international public opinion, representative for the most part of the outlook of permanent government officials, academic authorities on penal law, and administrative officials in the penal systems, together with such representative opinion as may be con- tributed by welfare societies, such as the Salvation Army, or by societies for penal reform, such as the Howard League. To what extent governments are actually influenced in this manner might be a question worthy of patient consideration and enquiry, but it is probable that prison commissioners desirous of introducing reforms into their prison systems and seeking permission to do so find their hands strengthened if they can back their proposals by reference to resolutions supporting them passed by these congresses, which have all the seriousness that could possibly be desired by any govern- mental department.

For the purposes of their transactions the French language is accepted as the official tongue, a custom admirable in its conception though liable to expose, in the case of many of the English and American members of the audience, the inadequacy of their school education, save that a general appreciation of the problems inseparably connected with the Tower of Babel and the difficulties of the great Apostle when those who possessed the gift of tongues found themselves confronted by an audience many of whom lacked the ancillary gift of understanding, bears touching witness to the Biblical knowledge of a passing generation. To overcome this hindrance to mutual comprehension interpreters gave fre- quent brief summaries of what sometimes turned out to be quite lengthy speeches. And the result was that a large number of resolutions were framed and passed, under the four headings of Legislation, Administration, Prevention, and Youth.

Within the space of this letter it is impossible to do other- wise than present an outline of the opinions expressed.

The Congress recognized the desirability of the unification of the fundamental principles of penal law in all countries, but in such a way as not to check the historical development of each country nor to interfere with deeply-rooted racial ideas. It was anxious to give credit to the international societies of jurists and workers for the bringing together of thought on penal matters, and it emphasized the constructive value of co-operation between the nations in their common struggle against certain delinquencies.

It laid stress upon the urgent need of taking from the delinquent the possibilities of further crime either by amending his character or by eliminating its activities. For this reason it recommended the internment of insane or abnormal criminals. where possible, far curative treatment, the internment of alcoholics and drug addicts, and the imprisonment of beggars and vagabonds with a view to adapting them to work ; and finally, the internment of habitual criminals "with the view of eliminating them, but withcut their chances of betterment being lost sight of in the system applied to them, their internment to take place in special establishments." It welcomed the probation system, where it is safeguarded by adequate observation of the delinquent and the insistence where necessary upon certain conditions, but it considered that some international convention should govern the deportation of foreign delinquents.

It expressed the somewhat maternal desire that "objects dangerous to public security should be confiscated or made inoffensive," by which. one envisages anything from pop-guns upwards.

In its consideration of the problems of administration of penal methods it recognized that the security of society will be best achieved by making the penalty imposed the means of educating the prisoner morally, intellectually and physically and that in order to attain this, it will be necessary for prison officials to be selected for their ability as teachers and influencers of those in their charge, which in its turn will necessitate the special training of candidates for these posts and their adequate remuneration. Further, it recognized the need Of these officials being aided in their duties by un- official workers "chosen for their personal qualities of mind and heart."

It emphasized the necessity of a prisoner's work being adapted to his aptitude, and it upheld the belief that prison labour should be remunerated, a portion of the prisoner's payment going towards the upkeep of his dependents outside —a resolution opposed by Commissioner Lamb of the Salvation Army on the ground that the Society of which he was a member felt that the State should be responsible for the prisoner together with those injured by his imprisonment.

The introduction of intellectual and physical recreation into prison regimes was heartily welcomed and it was hoped it would be extended and adapted to the customs of different nations.

The long contested rival claims of" separate" and " asso- ciated " confinement in prison produced a general expression of opinion that whereas prisoners can be left in ass”ciation by day, under adequate supervision it is essential that thc separate cell should be the rule at night except where special circumstances make a dormitory necessary.

It was likewise agreed that the time was ripe for piddle opinion to recognize that a portion of a prisoner's penitentiary treatment should be his treatment for a certain period after his release, that his sentence should be only partly served ill prison, and should include a period on parole, at any rate in the case of prisoners likely to abandon a career of crime.

The Congress also passed resolutions on the treatment of the juvenile offender, recommending the early use of scientific knowledge in coming to a decision as how best to train such offenders wisely and well, whilst urging governments to provide the necessary institutions for the carrying out of such treatment.

But perhaps the most valuable contribution of the week was the drawing of the Congress's attention by Dr. B kc, President of the Supreme Court of Germany to " the standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners," published last October by the International Penitentary

_AR1 llll ission," a most illuminating pamphlet which might quite easily become the basis of an international agreement upon the subject, and might even result in some amalgamation of the efforts of the International Penitentiary Commission and the League of Nations in a field where to an outsider there appears to be a danger of overlapping of activities. As in all congresses of this kind a good deal of very useful work was done under the guise of lunches, dinners, teas, and refreshing mid-morning glasses of Malaga and Afelniche, in the many delightful restaurants and cafés of Prague, where conversations were exchanged and international friendship strengthened.

On the Wednesday the Czechoslovak Government provided a special train to Pilsen where members of the Congress were able to inspect the men's prison, a large building of the structure of Pentonville, but far more pleasing to the eye. Its internal arrangements seemed to be worthy of comparison with the best prisons I know, and its cells were more airy than any I have seen in England. After visiting the prison a large number of the members visited the famous brewery where, after inspecting ibi marvels, they were invited to drink its health, which they did for three hours.

Other notable events of a memorable week were the Govern- ment reception in the Spanish Hall of the Ilrad6any Castle, the banquet given by the Minister of Justice, Dr. Meissner at the" Autoclub," the gala performance of Smetana's Dalibor at the Opera; and the reception by the City of Prague.--1