The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-23 00:00:00

CRIME AND CRIMINALS IN LIVERPOOL.

THE BOROUGH GAOL-CHAPLAIN'S REPORT.

To the Worshipful the Mayor and Magistrates in Sessions.
GENTLEMEN, —Again it becomes my duty, as chaplain of
your gaol, to present my annual report on the moral and
religious condition of the prisoners who have been brought
under my notice during the year ending on the 30th Sep-
tember last. _ _

Were I to restrict myself to these topics very few words
might suffice, since no appreciable variation in their charac-
ter or extent has presented itself. True it is that the number
of commitments has been less, and on the daily average of
prisoners confined in the gaol there has been a marked
diminution, amounting, indeed, to upwards of 100; but
while we felicitate ourselves on this circumstance we must
not suppose that it arises from any advance in the moral and
religious condition of the people, or from any deterring in-
fluences or other penal appliances, but we must ascribe it, I
think, to the general improvement in their social position,
induced by increased employment, and the more remunerative
prices of labour. . . .

Throughout my experience I have observed that in seasons
of prosperity we have always had a larger proportion of
commitments in default of payment of fines for drunkenness.
This is again a very conspicuous feature in the statistical
returns of the present year, and is one much to be deplored,
as exhibiting a fearful extent of depravity, and showing how
prone men are to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness,
and to abuse the bounties of His providence.
It will be seen that the daily average of prisoners during
the past year has not only been actually less than during the
former, but, relatively to the total commitments, infinitely less
than during many previous years.
The increase in the number of commitments for drunken-
ness, which are generally for very short periods, at once ex-
plain this ; but in addition to this consideration, the sen-
tences awarded for other offences—for those involving dis-
honesty, if I may be allowed to use the distinction—have
certainly been of less duration than they were wont to be in
the practice of late years, and hence the daily average must
necessarily have been less : but this must not be regarded as
an indication or much improvement, I fear, in the moral
habits and feelings of the people, nor does it justify us,
when taking a forecast of the future, to hope that even this
apparent advance will be sustained.
The great increase in the prices of all the necessaries of
life; the embarrassed state Of the labour question through-
out the kingdom ; the interference of the political aspect of
affairs with the commerce of the country; the abolition of
transportation excepting for the most gross offences, and the
substitution of long periods of imprisonment, are, in them-
selves, portentious circumstances ; and when, in addition,
we consider that all the ordinary incentives to crime in this
town, to some of which I have alluded in former reports,
still continue in unmitigated force, we cannot, I think,
avoid the apprehension that hereafter, our daily average, if
not actually, will be relatively greater.
But there is another remark suggested by the statistics
before you, which, though obvious, I ought not to with-
hold. The shortness of the ..periods of imprisonment in-
dicated by the falling off in the actual and centesimal
proportion of the daily average, whilst it has not alleviated
perceptibly my duties, has reduced my opportunities of bene-
fiting those who have passed through the goal. Let us
hope that in some cases, even of the shortest terms of con-
finement, a word may have been spoken in season which has
not been without its effect. We cannot venture to say more
than this ; the good that may be done, from the very nature
of things, we cannot know; at the utmost it must be merely
conjecture : whilst of the failure of our efforts we have only
daily too many instances, with all their depressing and dis-
couraging influences, here there is so much evil, and
that so deeply rooted and of such long duration—where
there is so much to unteach and so much around us to coun-
teract and frustrate our exertions—we must only expect,
though we must not rest satisfied with, a small measure of
success ; and, happily, we are not altogether destitute of
this. lam not without hope, indeed I feel a degree of con-
fidence, that our labours have not been altogether in vain.
1 have no alteration to notice in the routine of my duties
during the past year, neither has any taken place in the
system of instruction pursued, or in the means at my dis-
posal.
In my last report I ventured to suggest that an applica-
tion should be made to the committee of the free public
library, for a grant of any supernumerary books at their dis-
posal, towards the formation of a library for the use of the
subordinate officers of this establishment ; that suggestion
not having been adopted, I applied on my own responsibility,
and am glad to be able to report that I obtained a grant of
fourhundred volumes.
To the committee of the Bible Society, likewise, I am in-
debted for a very liberal donation, on my application, of
Bibles and Testaments for gratuitous distribution amongst
the prisoners on discharge, when found deserving.
I have also to record a grant by the town council of a sum
of £250 towards the expense of providing for juveniles on
their discharge from prison. Little progress has been made
in this way -- not, I am sorry to say, for want of objects, but
for want of suitable asylums to receive them. During the
year the following juveniles have, however, being removed,
viz„ 14 boys to Red-hill, Reigate, under conditional par-
dons ; 2 boys to Kingswood, near Bristol -one of these was
the boy Hart, referred to in the late Mr. Rushton's letter to
the town council—the sentence of both had expired before
removal ; 6 girls to Kingswood, 4 of whom are under condi-
titional pardons ; 1 girl to Dalston Refuge, London ; 2 girls
to County Refuge, Chester ; 4 girls to County Refuge, Edge-
hill. Making a total of 29 boys and girls. The are several
now in the gaol, who, at a fitting opportunity, will be dis-
posed of in a similar way. Of those who have been pro-
vided for in the manner stated, I have to report that 6 (with
a seventh, who had been sent hence in July, 1852) have
emigrated —2 to Swan River, 2 to Ohio, 1 to Kentucky,
and to Australia. One has returned to employment in
Liverpool ; one is in Westminster Bridewell, having de-
serted from Red-hill, and was apprehended in London, and
convicted of picking pockets ; one is now in this gaol, having
deserted from Edge-hill, and was convicted here of picking
pockets ; 6 are still in the philanthropic school at Red-hill,
and reported to be doing well; one well reported of in Dal-
ston Refuge; one (with one previously sent) well reported
of at Chester; two going on satisfactorily at the refuge,
Edge-hill ; one absconded from Edge-hill, and is not re-
covered, whose mother is now here under sentence of four
months' imprisonment ; one absconded from Chester, has
since been several times in this prison, and is known to be
living a dissolute life ; and eight are still in the school at
Kingswood, seven of whom are subjects of anxiety and
doubt.

Thus it appears that, of 29 cases of juveniles, 7 have done
well, I l are in the way of doing well, 7 are still doubtful, 2
have so far failed, and 2 are hopelessly lost.
Nov, when I state that, with one solitary exception, all
these, though young in years, were old in crime, and that,
in my judgment, no existing system of prison discipline could
ever possibly reclaim them, it will be admitted, I hope; that
we have suffisient encouragement not only to persevere in,
but, if possible, to extend, these means.
Too much credit cannot, be given to those who have the
management of the several reformatory institutions above
referred to ; their work is arduous, and much discretion,
patience, and self-denial must have been exercised, I am
sure, to produce even this measure of success. Miss Car-
penter, to whose exertions the Kingwood Reformatory
School mainly owes its existence, and to whom I feel so
deeply indebted for the readiness with velich she has enter-
tained my applications, thus reports to me :
" All the girls we have received from you, except little
M. R., exhibit an amount of wickedness and audacity which
I could not have realised, nor any one else who has had
much to do with them, if I had not come into personal
contact with them. I never before was so certain of
the evil influence and non-reformatory action of an
associated gaol like yours ; an influence which cannot
be counteracted by even such efforts as yours
Of our success," she goes on to say, " I cannot, of course,
speak; nor do I believe that it would be safe for the girls
to return to Liverpool when they leave us ; but I feel sure
that much progress has been made, and that there is every
hope that a change will be wrought in them if they stay with
us long enough. Ly null and Hart aro improving, the latter
especially ; we want legal detention for them."
The subject of juvenile destitution and crime appears
at length to be attracting public attention, and parliament
has unmistakeably evinced a determination fully to grapple
with the difficulty. I look forward, therefore, with feelings
of the most lively interest and anxiety to the next session;
when legislation will take place on the matters so thoroughly
and so patiently sifted by the select committees which sat
during the two last sessions. The bill introduced last ses-
sion by Mr. Adderley and Sir John Pakington, and read a
second time, I believe, was merely intended to induce a dis-
cussion of the question, and, so far, it certainly answered its
object. To my own mind, in itself it appeared insufficient,
and otherwise objectionable. The provisions of the new
bill, I am given to understand, will be better considered,
more full and satisfactory, embracing the vitally essential
points recommended in the resolutions of the committee
above referred to, and which were reported to the House
of Commons on the 20th June. Still, I feel that the pecu-
liarities of our position, as a large sea-port, visited by a
number of criminal and destitute boys from Ireland and the
adjacent populous districts—possessing, moreover, our un-
enviable notoriety for juvenile crime—not only admits of,
but indeed demands, the establishment, by legal sanction of
a reformatory differing from those alone contemplated, and
that it is highly desirable that some steps should be taken—
may I suggest by the promoters of the Liverpool petition
on this subject—to press upon the government the propriety
of embracing within their scheme the formation of reforma-
tories afloat.
Several gentlemen of your court are aware of the encou-
ragement which has been already directly and formally held
out by the Liverpool Shipowners' Association to a proposal
some months ago made for the establishment of a hulk in
our river for the training of boys for the merchant marine
service ; and I do, therefore, with the utmost deference, de-
sire strenuously to urge that the present opportunity for ob-
taining the necessary legal facilities ought not to be suffered
to pass.
One essential for the well-working and success of any
reformatory institution, whether ashore or afloat, will be
" a goad business connection" or " society of patronage"
for the disposal or placing out in life of those who have
been subjected during a sufficient length of time to re-
formatory action. With such an addendum I should