Reformative Value of Money Payments Act
| DOI | 10.1177/026455053700200802 |
| Published date | 01 April 1937 |
| Date | 01 April 1937 |
| Author | W. Thoday |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
II5
REFORMATIVE VALUE OF
MONEY PAYMENTS ACT
W. THODAY, LL.B. (Clerk to the Lord Mayor
of London)
AN ADDRESS TO I6th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF
MIDLAND BRANCH, N.A.P.O., AT WARWICK
We think nowadays of the word &dquo;reformative&dquo;
the prisoner and his dependents, and the fact that
in the sense of &dquo;reformation of offenders&dquo;.
But
it is often out of all proportion to the wrong done
there is very little of that sort of thing about this
by the offender or the default of which he has been
Aot.
It is, however, distinotly reformative in quite
guilty. In many cases it was not held sufficiently
another sense; it reforms a system which, on
in reserve.
It was imposed too readily, as a matter
careful examination, was found to be badly in
of course, and often, indeed, automatically.
need of reform.
And so, I think I cannot
Two Classes of Defaulters.
do better than begin by some account of the defects
There are two main classes of fines defaulters;
of the old system which the Act was designed to
those who are committed forthwith, and those who
remedy.
make default after time to pay has been allowed.
Defects of Old System.
The former number about 6,000 a year, and of
It had
these the
long been the opinion of those who took
greater number are drunks. There seems
the trouble
to be a
to acquaint themselves of the facts that
prejudice against giving a &dquo;drunk&dquo; time
far
to
too
pay his fine : possibly due to the habits formed
many people were imprisoned for non-pay-
ment of
by the Courts when cases of drunkenness were so
money, and this is quite apart from the
numerous that
general question
they came to be dealt with almost
as to whether people should be
imprisoned
automatically. But if a &dquo;drunk&dquo; has an address,
at all for this cause.
and is not of the
Dealing first with Pines : Before
type that will go straight to the
g i 4 well over
80,000
public house again the moment he is released, there
persons went to prison each year...
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