PRISONS OF BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1936, Page 12

PRISONS OF BRITAIN

THIRTY ABOLISHED IN 25 YEARS.

Only one-third as many people goto prison each year in Britain now compared with a quarter of a century ago. The far-reaching changes in the prison system during the 25 years are reviewed in the recently issued report for 1934 of the Commissioners of Prisons and the Directors of Convict Prisons.

“The results so far achieved,’’ the Commissioners declare, “justify confidence that we are advancing in the right direction.” Annual prison receptions fell from 186,398 to 56,425 between 1910 and 1934; the daily average prison population dropped from 20,326 to 12,238. This remarkable decrease in prisoners has enabled local prisons to be reduced from 56 in 1910 to 26 at the present time. These results are attributed to important reforms in the criminal law, reduction in the number of long sentences, and a general improvement of social habits and conditions. Criminal law reforms have helped to reduce the prison population by Providing for the placing of offenders on probation; Giving time for the payment of fines; Raising the age for committal of children; Restricting the sale of intoxicants; and clearing the prisons of feebleminded prisoners who are unfit for penal discipline. Committals for drunkenness fell from 54,452 in 1910 to 6,835 in 1934. Following are some of the outstanding changes in prison administration during the period under review:— Borstal institutions established, 1909; routine solitary confinement abolished; broad arrow removed from clothing, 1921; prisoners allowed to shave; monthly lectures and concerts instituted; adult education introduced, 1923; women appointed to visiting committees for both women and men; conversation permitted between prisoners at work and at certain other times.

A highly-important change was the abolition of unremunerative labour, such as the crank and treadmill, and the replacement of low-grad'e work, such as picking oakum and sorting wool, by industrial employment.