The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-31 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER.

Curragh
Carlow . 9 Jenkinstown Park .... 23
Listowel 2l
Curragh

20

GAOL DISCIPLINE IN ENGLAND.

-.•

The report of the select committee of the House
of Lords, together with the minutes of evidence on
gaol discipline, forming a blue book of 512 pages,
has just been published. The present state of dis-
cipline in the gaols and houses of correction is dis-
cussed at considerable length, and the conclusion
arrived at by the committee is, that it is desirable
to establish without delay a system approaching as
nearly as may be practicable to a uniformity of
labour,diet, and treatment ; and that whilst indus-
trial occupation should in certain stages farm a part
of prison discipline, the more strictly penal element
of that discipline is the chief means of exercising
a deterrent influence, and therefore ought not
be weakened, as it has been in some gaols,
still less to he entirely withdrawn. Association
or a mixed system of association and separa-
tion, prevails in many gaols. Such anomalies, how-
ever, are, in the opinion of the committee, very ob-
jectionable. They should be removed at the earliest
practicable time; and their present existence can
only be justified by the difficulties of reconstruction
and the natural reluctance of the local authorities
to incur a heavy expenditure. Referring to the
course of legislation, now extending over many
years, and to the opinion 3f the highest authorities,
the committee consider that the system generally
known as the separate system must now be accepted
as the foundation of prison discipline, and that its
rigid maintenance is a vital principle in the efficiency
of county and borough gaols; and they recommend
that legislative measures should be taken to render
all
the adoption of separation obligatory upon
gaols and houses of correction in England
and Wales ; in short, that it should be made
to pervade the entire system of the prison.
There are also many cases, the committee urge, in
which it would be possible to substitute the shorter
terms of three and seven days' solitary confinement
on bread and water for the present sentences, rang-
ing from seven to twenty-one days, with hard la-
bour, a term which they consider requires an au-
thoritative definition by Act of Parliament. The
committee further express their opinion that the
treadwheel and crank do not demoralise the pri-
soner, as is commonly asserted ; they recommend
that every prisoner sentenced to hard labour, shall,
unless exempted by medical authority on grounds of
health, be employed at the treadwheel or crank not
less than eight hours per day the first three, and
not less than six hours per day during the next
three months of the first year of imprisonment ; and,
as a condition of the receipt of the Treasury allow-
ance, that all gaols and houses of correction shall be
provided with a sufficient supply of hard labour ma-
chinery for the average number of male prisoners
sentenced to such punishment. With respect to
the question of prison d iet, while admitting that the
present scale may with advantage be modified, they
are of opinion that, as regards the effect produced
by confinement upon prisoners, and the necessity of
certain ingredients inand tunderhe foodthese, furthercircumstances,
investiga-
tion is needed ; ,
the committee recommend that a commissicn be
appointed to inquire into these questions with
authority to determinDeurbiy experisentences, orment the points
the
referred to them. During short
earlier stages of a long confinement, the prisoner
ofthe9;atsoe
should be made to dispense with the use of a mat-
eiaisodis
in military prisons. The us
tress, and should sleep upon pulaanikps
alth and is in-
-10 hours devoted to sleep the committee think
exceeds the fair allowance due to he ,
Fruit the time
cipline. They would, therefore,
.1
jurious both to the prisoners and to the prison dis-
after th© labour
hours. A portion of the evening,
which the prisoners are allowed in bed to eight
should the school
of the day, might be devoted to
school instruction!;
but under no circumstances
become a substitute for labour. In reference to
unishmento , the committee state that " the
prison p
witnesses are unanimous as to
moat experienced
holesome influence of corporal punishment ;
the w have stated that they have never
: and the committee
wish
known it ineffective
to record their opinion of its great value as
some, indeed,
the committee recommend that power
one form of disciplinary correction." In con-
clusion, the committee recommend that power
should be given, in cases where the borough gaol is
to admit of satisfactory arrangements,
to the corporation or governing body, to cont-act
with the county gao' upon such terms as the Secre-
further, that these
etol uosli nn ited
Secre-
tary of State shall approve ; aid,
borough gaols which are not required for purposes
of present or future utility should be scheduled in a
bill for entire abolition.