What is the longest period of delay between an offence at school and suitable punishment. Clearly for example after a week may be reasonable but what about longer and in the case of a serious offence such as truancy?

I would say in most cases the longest would have been
either "See me tonight, after school," or "see me
tomorrow morning."
Irrespective of the gender.

I would agree with the above post but it could be a little longer if the offence was committed on a Friday and the boy had to eport on Monday. The wait was often as effective as the actual punishment. If it is too long after the event it tends to loose its meaning.

George

But what should happen if for example a pupil had committed a caning offence - say truancy but only got found out a month or eve year later. Surely they shouldn't be let off??

Generally we try to use the cane as soon as is practical after an offence is detected (which is hopefully soon after it was committed) normally within an hour. But occasionally, there can be much longer delays.

We cane boys for skipping detentions. There have been cases where a boy has had a detention immediately before the school holidays and has failed to attend, and has been caned for that when school resumes. If it's the Christmas holidays, the delay can be up to about seven weeks.

George is quite correct that punishment at such a distance from the offence can seem fairly pointless in terms of the individual boy concerned, but it still has value as a deterrent to others and sends a message that the rules of the school are not to be trifled with.

If a boy has got away with an offence for a while and it's detected after a long interval, sometimes - probably more often than not - he will escape punishment, but it depends on a number of factors, including whether or not failing to punish him will send the wrong message to the boy or others.

My mother in law played truant as a fifth former spending a day in the park. She was never punished. What should she have received? Is it too late now!!??

Think you have hit on something quite important here-timing,I know what you mean you mean the grave announcement come to my study at such and such a time
where you will receive CP,such an announcement usually instilled fear in the punished.
But its also built grit and bravery when facing ones fears.
But there is another more subtle delay in a spanking situtaion-most probably domestic-removed from the cold ritualistic CP of school.
This is more the "McClintock"school of spanking involving a tension upping
build up to the inevitable through psycho drama of various sorts being played out-the punishees behaviour goes a step too far then the punisher makes a sort of decision there and then that something is going to happen often betrayed by a determined facial expression as the idea of administering a spanking pops into the head.Then it becomes a struggle as the punishee is given one last chance etc. threatened-defies-protests-runs-hides-there then usually follows a short period of argy bargy/tension as the final spanking decree is decided-Next the inevitable happens hands are laid upon the defiant punishee and they are usually hauled forcefully screaming and yelling over quite a distance to some loaction in the domestic household deemed appropriate for the punishment to take place.
This location could depend on many factors-where the hairbrush is stored,
where the neighbours visiting lady guests wont hear/see,where the door can be locked,where there is a suitable piece of furniture to assist,habitual custom etc.Usually the punisher and punishee dissappear out of sight for a while but the struggle can be heard as doors are slammed and stairs climbed etc.
Then silence.
More prepatory noises then perhaps the muffled sound of a harsh feminine voice delivering a lecture in a high tone perhaps shouting or screaming,
and then suddenly its confirmed as we get to the unmistakeable sound that everyone has been waiting for for the past 10 minutes!
The sound of rythmic SMACKS upon bare helpless wriggling flesh and howls or tearful protest echoing around the house-muffled perhaps!The punishment has at long last begun!
Tension subsides.Butterfly knots enter young Pamelas tummy as she is left downstairs to imagine the dreadful drama unfolding upstairs.How long will it go on for?Is it right?Should she do anything?

Well I am mindful that its now many years since my mother in law was truant but she should have been punished properly. Surely a simple six of the best would have been reasonable. I'd love to see her old teacher knock at her door with a cane in a carpet bag and tell her that things still had to be dealt with!

Involved a nine year old boy who was made to wait from Friday until Monday for his slippering. This particular delay did seem to add to the court's view that this example of cp was a cruel and unusual punishment as the case (the boy went the wrong way up the stairs or similar) was trivial and hardly deserving of any punishment as the boys was new at the school.

Scott

I was caught smoking by a teacher from my school on my way home for the start of the summer holidays. He confiscated all my cigarettes and gave me a telling off.

I thought that was the end of it but on the first day of the new school year I was summoned to the headmistress's office and told to bend over for three hard whacks of her slipper.