An Open Letter To N.A.P.O
| Date | 01 July 1949 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455054900502208 |
| Published date | 01 July 1949 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
BRANCH LINES
AN OPEN LETTER TO N.A.P.O.
THE ESSEX BRANCH
I was not at Scarborough. I could not afford it. I should
have enjoyed meeting old friends and acquaintances. I
The Essex Branch held a very successful Summer
should have liked to have heard what great things the
Meeting at Stock, on Saturday, July 2nd, when members
Association is doing for the welfare of its members, but
met the newly elected President of the Branch, Mr. E.
for detailed information I had to rely on reports from
Hugh L. Parsons, J.P., and Mrs. Parsons. Mr. D. G. Garratt,
members who were fortunate enough to have attended.
Branch Chairman, introduced Mr. Parsons, who spoke
I hear that Mr. Chuter Ede spoke very well, that the
about the developments in the treatment of offenders
Bishop of Ripon received an ovation, that Albert and the
since the passing 6i the Prison Act, 1887, which marked
Lion provided much merriment. But I can only say that
the beginning of the change from retributive to reforma-
I was horrified at the account I was given of the Annual
tory methods. Mr. Parsons traced the subsequent develop-
Meeting. In my poverty-stricken state I had hoped to
ments through the Probation Act of 1907, the Children
hear that the Association was fighting vigorously to
Act of 1908, up to the Criminal Justice Act of last year,
double my salary. What a forlorn hope!
t
marking these Acts as milestones in the road of progress
Most of the time of the meeting, I am told, was taken
towards the treatment of the offender rather than the
up by discussion of the draft constitution for the pro-
offence-the attempt &dquo; to give offenders what they need
posed body to negotiate questions of salary and expenses.
rather than to punish them for what they have done.&dquo; Mr.
By all means let there be such a body. But why must we
Parsons,
wait on snail-paced Whitehall? When is the Association
stressed the importance of all possible information for
going to
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