PRISON PENALTIES

Southland Times, Issue 22215, 6 January 1934, Page 2

PRISON PENALTIES

NEW RULES IN ENGLAND.

COMFORTS FOR REMAND CASES.

New Home Office rules for the government of, and for the conduct and discipline in, English prisons have recently come into force. Perhaps the most interesting of the new rules is an experimental one. It provides further concessions to unconvicted persons in custody, or “trial and remand prisoners” as they are officially described. In future, they are to be given—if they require it— a separate room, suitably furnished, away from the cells and the ordinary prisoners, wherein to have their meals. To those who can afford the luxury, there is the welcome news that, with their food, they will be allowed to drink a pint of ale, cider, or stout, and half a bottle of wine. But, of course, at their own expense. They may also have their meals sent in from outside the prison. Under certain conditions there prisoners will be allowed to smoke a little while at exercise, but in such a way as not to arouse envy in the breasts of those who are serving sentences. The Prison Commissioners are not disposed to recommend the enlargement of these restricted privileges with regard to smoking owing to the fact that it might lead to an increase in the smuggling of cigarettes and tobacco. Breaches of prison discipline are to be punished severely. The punishment will not, however, involve as hitherto, the ■ concellation of the prisoner’s right to receive letters and visits from friends during the period in which he is undergoing it. It has been brought home to the authorities that this form of punishment involved hardship upon those outside the prison who wished to keep in touch with the prisoner concerned.

Experience has proved that the most salutary form of punishment for those recalcitrant prisoners who are guilty of breaches of prison discipline is that which affects their rations. In future such prisoners will have their diet varied or reduced in a manner not to their liking. The governor’s right to award solitary confinement is preserved, but there is to be no flogging for internal offences unless ordered by the Court. With regard to work in prisons, the new rules provide that prisoners shall be employed upon suitable work—Sundays excepted—for at least eight hours a day outside their cells, and not more than two hours out of the 24 inside them.

There will be very little difference between the treatment of “hard labour” prisoners and those who have been sentenced to plain imprisonment. The only distinction will be that the former must sleep without a mattress for the first 14 days of their sentence, unless the medical officer or the governor otherwise orders. There is no difference at all between the two classes of imprisonment so far as women are concerned.

Whether a person is sent to hard labour, plain imprisonment, or serves his sentence in the second division, the nature of the work allotted will be the same. It will not be affected by the nature of the sentence, but will be determined by the capabilities of the prisoner, and the kind of work that happens to be available. Recent events have caused the authorities to take appropriate steps to prevent the escape of prisoners and those disposed in future to make the attempt will find the difficulties considerably augmented by additional safeguards.