LESS SOLITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 20, 24 January 1936, Page 11

LESS SOLITUDE.

ENGLISH PRISONS. COMPANY AND PAY. (Special.—By Air Mall.) LONDON, January 4. In many English prisons a change has Deen made recently in the day's routine. Hie hours during which prisoners work n association have been extended so as :o approximate to an eight-hour day. it one time the men spent at least 12 lours alone in their cells. This led to nisery and introspection, and it has, ieen found important to encourage the nen to adopt habits of hard and regular vork. In some of the American prisons there s nothing for the prisoners to do all day ixcept play cards and throw dice. Such dleness inevitably leads to conspiracy ;jid often to open mutiny. The difficulty if providing suitable occupation is that, f the work of prisoners is to be useful, here must be some means of marketing he goods 'produced without competing infairly with • private manufacturers. Experiments are being made in England n paying prisoners for their labour. ?his system has been extended to all borstal institutions for lads, and to .laidstone convict prison.