IN response to the remark of Rose Ragnall (Letters, August 5) on the Channel 4 True Stories documentary 'Experiment of the Cross,' which detailed conditions in Youth Corrective Camp 115 at Almaty, Khazakstan, I find a loathsome smugness pervades her letter.

The presenter did, in fact, state that re-offending was a common phenomenon among inmates. Perhaps Rose Ragnall had in mind those eight inmates who will certainly never re-offend since they are dead.

Since the start of filming eight inmates have died: five due to 'natural causes' (TB, Hepatitis and malnutrition) and three have been murdered.

Or perhaps she was favourably impressed by the last line of the prisoners' prayer recited by the youngest inmate, a little boy of barely 14 years:

"... and save us from the death penalty ... amen."

Perhaps this lady holds the interesting (and radical) view that serial buggery (12 times in a row) inflicted on (what appeared to be ) a boy of 15 is a legitimate judicial deterrent.

I can't know for sure what were the motives of Jaras Popov, the author of this film. It was reported that:

"... outraged at what he saw, he pretended he was making a film for research purposes." It was also said that, as a result of this film, Popov was arrested and dismissed from his post as psychiatrist attached to the camp.

I draw two inferences from this:

Firstly, '... outrage' suggests that he did not intend his film as an argument in favour of this system.

Secondly, the need for pretence and the subsequent actions by the authorities suggest that even the Khazaki authorities might be ashamed of their deeds.

Whatever, it is certainly difficult to escape the conclusion that even this degree of brutality fails to deter re-offending behaviour.

As a salutary corrective to the proponents of the short, sharp shock it should be required viewing.

It is possible, of course, that Rose Ragnall intended her comments ironically. If this is the case, I have suffered a total irony failure.

May I urge readers to support Amnesty International in their campaign, announced at the end of this broadcast, to secure an inquiry into the eight deaths and to seek a reform of the camp system.

It would appear to me to be a more wholesome use of one's time than to write in ill-considered praise of a regime which aims at the degradation, brutalisation and death of its children and young people.

DAVID M PUGH, West View Place, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.