Celebrating the Jubilee in India.

Evening Star, Issue 7188, 16 April 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Celebrating the Jubilee in India.

On Tuesday, 15th February, 25,000 prisoners, being one-third of the number now undergoing sentence in the Indian gaols for criminal offences, were released in commemoration of the Queen’s Jubilee. The release will certainly be a welcome one to the prisoners, for Indian gaols are by no means the pleasantest of places. The deathrate in many is very high, and corporal punishment is common. In 1884 the punishments awarded in the whole of India were Deaths „ .. .. .. 1,108 Transportation „ .. .. 1,298 Imprisonment .. ... .. 111,630 Fine .. .. .. 102,116 Whipping ~ .. .. 13,790 Total.. 022,817 Whipping, it will thus he seen, is a common punishment for crime, and it is also inflicted for serious breaches of prison discipline. In some of the provinces, murders, dacoities, robberies, and burglaries are very prevalent, and hence the severity of the punishments. Happily, side by side with the severity, a system has been growing up under which remissions of sentence can be earned by convicts. This encourages habitual criminals as well as first offenders to behave themselves well, Prisoners are also being employed as convict officers, with good results, and, if extended, this will lead to a diminution of expenditure in watch and ward.

The benefit of the release of such a large number of prisoners will prove like mercy twice blessed, for it will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in prison expenditure. The average cost per head is sixty-one rupees, and the total is returned for 1884 at 4,622,530 rupees. This amount will not be saved in proportion to the number set free, but there doubtless will be an appreciable reduction. The Government will certainly be much more than recouped for their further act of grace in paying the debts of SOOcivil prisoners whose liabilities are under 100 rupees each. Although the number of civil suits in India is enormous, the amounts are usually very small.