The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-25 00:00:00

GAOL DISCIPLINE IN ENGLAND.

This morning was published a blue book of bl 2
pages, containing the report of the select committee of the
Home of Lords, together with the minutes of evidence, on
the present state of discipline in the gaols and houses of
oorrection.

With regard to the conclusions arrived at by the committee
we may state that they are of opinion that it is desirable to
establish without delay • system approaching se nearly as
may be practicable to a uniformity of labour, diet, and
treatment; and that whilst industrial occupation should in
certain stages form • part of prison discipline, the more
strictly penal element of that discipline is the chief means
of exercising • deterrent influence, and therefore ought
not to be weuened, as it ha+ been in some
gaols, still leas to be entirely withdrawn. Associa-
tion, or • mixed system of usociation and separa-
tion, prevails in many gaols. Such anomalies, however, are,
in the opinion of the committee, very objectionable. They
should be removed at the earliest practicable time; and
their present existence can only be justified by the difilcul-
ties of reconsti action, and the natural reluctance of the
local authorities to incur • heavy expenditure. The com-
mittee entertain • very decided opinion on this head, and
having reference to the course of legislation now extending
over many years, and the agreement in opinion and practice
of the highest authorities, they consider that the system
generally known se the separate system mint now be
accepted sa the foundation of prison dlecipline,
and that its rigid maintenance is • vital prin-
ciple to the efficiency of county and borough gaols
Whilst for the future the fullest development given to
the separate system, it w;11 be for the Secretary of State to
consider how far the practical object in view may not be
met, and the difficulties arising out of the expense of •
reconstruction of many prisons obviated by allowing a
certain proportion of cells below the average standard to be
certified sod sanctioned, it being understood that the own.
pante of those cells shall consist of prisoners undergoing
short sentences, who shall be chiefly employed during the
day upon hard labour outside their cells. The committee
recommend that legislative measures be taken u speedily as
possible to render the adoption of separation obligatory
upon all gaols and homes of correction in England and
Wales, and that the payment of the proportion of the
charge, now issued from the public revenues in aid of the
county and borou3b prison+, be made contingent in
each cue on the sloption of the separate system.
The committee are of opinion that the pi '-unple of upon.
Ciao should be made to pervade the entire system of the
prison, and no a 'equate reason he+ been assigned for the
' relaxation of the rule in (school, in chapel, and at exercise.
It is, however, to be understoc I that this conclusion is not
intended to limit the cellular and other religious instruction
which the chaplain may thinkfi.toadministertoany prisoner.
The committee are of opinion Cat it would be possible to sub-
stitute, in many cases, the shorter term of three sad seven
days solitary confinement on bread and water for the present
sentences, ranging from seven to 21 days with hard labour.
The first step towards • better end more uniform system
throughout the country would, in the opinion of the com-
mittee, be found in an authoritative definition, by act of
parliament, of the term of hard labour. It has been
alleged in the roans of the evidence, th►t the use of the
treedwheel and creak degrades, irritates, and demoralises
the prisoner ; but the committee, after full consideration,
see no reason for entertaining this opinion, and, under cer-
tain conditions, they highly approve of the use of both
these instrumente of prison discipline. As regards the
short sentences or the earlier stages of imprisonment, the
committee believe that they are adopting a safe and a mode-
rate standard when they recommend that every prisoner
sentenced to hard labour shall, unless exempted by medical
authority on grounds of health, be employe,' at the tread wheel
•r crank not less than eight hours per day the first three, and
notion than six hours perdu during the next three months of
the first year of imprisonment. They further recommend.
that all gaols and houses of correction shall, as • condition
to their receipt of the Treasury allowance, both be pro-
vided with • sufficient supply of hard labour machinery for
the average number of male prisoners sentenced to, and
medically fit for, hard l►bour, and be annually certified to
the Secretary of State as giving the full daily minimum
work on treadwheel or crank, as described above.

With regard to diet, it is • matter for the consideration
of the Secretary of State and of the local authori-
ties in their various districts, how far the present
scale may be with advantage modified. But it appears
that there are still medical and scientific questions
as to the effect produced by conlioNnent upon prisoners,
and as to the necessity of certain ingredients in the food,
which require further investigation. Under these circum-
stances, the committee recommend that • commission be
issued to inquire into these questions, with authority
to determine by experiment the points referred to them.
The committee recommend that, during short sentences or
the earlier stages of a long confinement, the prisoners
should be made to dispense with the use of a mattress, and
should sleep upon planks. This is, in fact, the practice io
the military prisons, where "guard-beds" are in use. No
evil has resulted from this practice, and remorse might
advantageously be had to it in civil prisons. They observe
that 9i to 10 hours is the proportion of time usually de-
voted to sleep. They are of opinion that this exceeds the
fair allowance due to health, and is injurious both to the
primmer, and the prison discipline. They would (in con.
formity with the resolutions of the committee of
the House of Commons in 1850) strongly insist
upon a limitation of the time during which the
prisoners are allowed to be in bed, to eight hours.
The evening appears to the committee to be a very suitable
time for school instruction, both as following upon the hard
labour of the day, and as providing occupation for • portion
of the time which is now passed in sleep. But they coo-
skier school as • boon granted to the prisoner, which
should under no circumstances become ► substitute for
labour. They regard as extremely unsatisfactory • prison
system in which instruction by the schoolmaeter, or "self-
instruction," is made the substance of penal discipline,
With regard to prison punishments the committee say :
" The most experienced witnesses are unanimous as to the
wholesome influence of corpor►l punishment; some, indeed,
have stated that they have never known it ineffective ; and
the committee wish to mooed their opinion of its gra.4
value as one form of disciplinary correction."
The committee recommend that further powers should be
conferred upon the Secretary of State to require the cor-
poration of any borough, or the governing body of any
borough gaol —where such gaol is of too limited a size to
admit of satisfactory arrangements being made for the cus-
tody and discipline of the prisoners—to contract with the
county gaol upon such terms u the Secretary of State shall
approve. It will be desirable after due inquiry into the
local and special circumstances, that those borough gaols
which are not required for purposes of present or future
utility, should be scheduled is • ball for entire abolition.

"John Halifax, Gentleman," has been trans-
lated tete French by the editor cl the lime Brititnnique,
A. Pichot. . _

The annual soir4e given by the Royal Academy
is announced for Wednesday, the 29th instant. Invitations
have been iuued as usual. The exhibition clams to-day.
The Old Water-Colour Society close their Gal-
lery to-da►, after • mast prosperous season. The
Institute of Water-Colour Painters and the Society of
British Artists in Suffolk-street will keep open their gal-
leries • week longer.

The Reader says :—" The new club, quondam
'Greco,' now ' United Arts,' will be opened on August 1.
The final arraegemente are completed ; and the committee
have when a house in Hanover-square, which is being fitted
and furnished for the purpose. The club will open with
nearly 200 members, the numbers being limited to 300.
This number will doubtless be soon filled op, as the en-
trance fee at present is only five guineas. The election of
members is *old in the bands of the committee. A gym.
mai= will foam part of the establishment."