Corporal Punishment

Corporal Punishment

P.M.

Shd we clutter ourselves up with enquiry when p. opinion may give us chance to restore flogging for all crimes of violence & cruelty.
Alternative is to devise much stiffer condns of impt.  What about a plebiscite on c.p. - a suitable subject.
What of re-introducg. for 3 or 5 years, to see if it does reduce crime. If we can't act, I wd. sooner not have an enquiry.

Sim.

Every civilised country, save Brazil & some States in U.S., have abandoned this penalty.

M-F.

Wide feeling of anxiety.  But Report in '38 v. flogging: abolitionin '48: only 4 years' trial of no flogging & new methods. Only previously floggable offence is almost only one whose incidence has fallen since '48. Real need is for increased nos. in Police:
4.000 below establmt in M.P.D. & similar shortage in other centres.
Got 3.000 increase last year.
Strong arguments v. acting w'out enquiry into post-war conditions.
Pol. diffy: only about 3 or 4 to 1 in favour of c.p. among Tories, and Labour are solid v. it.; In 1948 O.P. spoke in favour of abolition & all of us abstained.
P. Members' Bill will now come up in February. Immediate ques: what advice do we give when that Bill comes fwd. We cd.
wait & see H/C. opinion on that Bill.

J.S. 

Majority of Sc. M.P.'s wd. be against restoration of c.p.
Ch.Rates of crimes to convns. App.2.

M-F.

Yes: That's why I stress real need for increase in Police.

Sw. 

Gross increase in crimes since '38.

P.M.

Wait for P. Members' Bill - a good chance to test public & H/C.
feeling. Cd allow a free Vote. Tho' Govt. view wd. have to be stated.

Taken from C.C. 96(52) - Meeting held on 20 November 1952.