“PRISON REFORM ON LARGE SCALE TO BE URGED,” Ottawa Journal. September 7, 1937. Page 12. ---- Royal Commission Carries Inquiry Into Seven Countries - Hear Evidence of 1,700 Inmates. --- Drastic reform of the administration of Canada's penitentiaries will be recommended by the Royal Commission headed by Mr. Justice Archambault which will resume its inquiry shortly after investigating the penal systems of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
The Archambault commission will hold public hearings in Ottawa next month and pay visit to some penitentiaries in the Eastern United States.
Feature of Next Session. The report of the commission may provide some of the major debates of the next Parliamentary session. In addition, reports from Royal Commissions on wheat and the textile industry will be features of the next session.
Before the penitentiaries report is considered, however, the commission will take up the question of the parole system over which there has been much complaint Recommendations to correct abuses will be urged.
Segregation of young offenders along the style of the Borstal system in the United Kingdom will be recommended by the commission which delved deeply into this subject in England. The young criminals were sorted according to their crimes, the milder being placed together and all given the opportunity of learning a useful trade.
Less Crime la England. The commission found the penitentiary population in England on the down-grade and the penal institutions well administered. The chief criticism appeared to be that the criminals were housed In buildings far from modern.
The views of the inmates of Canada's penitentiaries were presented to the commission in private and without the presence of penitentiary officers. No fewer than 1,700 men and women prisoners advanced their views of prison reform. Complaints of the inmates and every phase of penitentiary life was presented.
While the commission will not conclude its work for months, it is believed that one recommendation it will make has to do with the condition of buildings. For Instance, it is well known that Kingston penitentiary is an old building and its lay-out provides difficulties in the way of administration.
For Young Offenders. The prediction is made that as a result of the far-reaching investigation being carried on that a new institution may be erected for young offenders and that changes may be made to existing penitentiaries.