THE ABOLITION OF FLOGGING [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—While so much has been written in the Press lately about the pros and cons of flogging as a deterrent punishment, it seems to me remarkable how comparatively little comment there has been on the actual recommendations of the Cadogan Committee's Report, which have now been incorporated in the new Bill for penal reform.
Flogging is to be abolished altogether as a court punish- ment, on the grounds that, in spite of its barbarity, it has no effect whatever as a deterrent, and the Committee produce what must seem to most people with unprejudiced minds conclusive proof in support of this view.
A victory having been achieved, then, for enlightenment and common sense—in spite of the heavy guns brought to bear on them in the shape of the Judges' memorandum—the Committee proceed at once to give their case away by a feeble capitulation before the frantic cries—as one can only suppose— of the prison authorities, who no doubt solemnly asserted that no prison officer would ever be safe if the deterrent effect of the " cat," ever lurking in the background, was removed.
A strong case can, of course, be put forward by those who believe that assaults on prison officers, &c., would decrease in number if flogging was abolished for prison offences, in spite of the Committee's capitulation to the opposite view, but that would go beyond the scope of this letter. I can understand, Sir, the position of those who believe that flogging is a deter- rent and should, therefore, be retained ; I understand the position of those who, like myself, believe that flogging does not act as a deterrent and should, therefore, be abolished ; but what I cannot understand is the position of those who are trying to sit on the fence by proving conclusively that it should be abolished as being no deterrent, and yet at the same time be retained as a deterrent. One can only hope that, when the Bill comes into Committee, the Home Secretary will be pressed to give a clear explanation of these, to my mind, extraordi- narily illogical proposals.—I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
The Chalet, The Avenue, J. M. G. GRAY. Walton St. Mary, Clevedon, Som.
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