The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-29 00:00:00

INCREASED AMOUNT OF EXERCISE AND RESULTS.

At the commencement of 1852, however, there had oc-
curred at Pentonville so unusual a number of cases of
mental affection, as to cause the directors much anxiety ;
and I stated in my last report that they had instituted an
inquiry into all attendant circumstances, and had arrived
at the conclusion that the greater amount of mental dis-
ease at that establishment, as compared with Wakefield
and other prisons, was mainly due to a difference in the
administration of the system.
Whilst therefore, adhering, as far as possible, to the
principle of separation, they deemed it their duty to in-
crease the amount of exercise in the open air ; and partly
with this object, and partly to secure other advantages,
they caused the prisoners totake exercise on the plan which
had been found to answer so well at Wakefield. Their
view is explained in the following resolution :
" That the exercise in the separate airing yards does not
appear so well calculated to promote the bodily or mental
health of the prisoners as the plan pursued at Wakefield ;
and that brisk walking exercise under such arrangements
as will effectually prevent communication should be sub-
stituted for it."

The gradual dimunition in the per tentage of sick, not-
withstanding the very different and less favourable classes
of prisoners which are now sent to Pentonville, can, in my
opinion, only be accounted for by a difference in their
treatment, combined with a shorter period of confinement.
With regard to the moral effects produced by this and
other ameliorations of the discipline, the chaplain observes
as follows :

" The beneficial moral results of the discipline and in-
struction of the prison have in no degree been lessened, in
my opinion, by the mode of exercise adopted, during the
year past, in lieu of the separate yards. There has been
actually less communication between the prisoners. The
good effect of the change upon the mental condition of the
prisoners has been, to my perception, most marked. From
an early period in the history of this prison you are aware I
was led to advocate a mitigation of the rigorous character of
separate confinement, originally instituted in Pentonville ;
and I have hailed with no small satisfaction, on the ground
of humanity, every approximation to such a course of treat-
ment as should secure a better prospect of continuing what
is useful in this discipline without perpetuating the serious
evil, which a growing experience led me to apprehend from
its indiscriminate application. lam now enabled, by very
distinct recollection of my early impressions, to compare
the convicts of the first years, in their general appearance
and manner, with those of the last ; and I would have no
hesitation in affirming that the present healthful mental
aspect of the prisoners forms a complete contrast to the
nervous, agitated condition of the first, allowance being
made for the many cases of debility and ago now a,thuissi-
ble to the prison, which were so carefully excluded at the
first."

It has been well remarked by the physician of the peni-
tentiary in New Jersey- :
"The more rigidly the plan is carried out, the more its
effects are visible upon the health of the convicts. A little
more inter course with each other, and a little more air in
the yard, have the effect upon the mind and body that
warmth has on the thermometer ? almost every degree of
indulgence showing a corresponding rise in the health of
the individual. That an opinion to the contrary should
have been advocated at this time seems like a determina-
tion to disregard science in support of a mistaken but
favourite policy."
Besides the more obvious effects of separate confinement
as exhibited in the development of pulmonary consumption
and mental affections, there can be no question that the
vigour of mind and body of the majority of convicts who
are subjected to strict separation for periods extending be-
yond 12 or 15 months is impaired.
My own conclusions upon this subject were thus ex-
pressed in my second report for 1847, in which, referring
to the occurrence of convulsions on embarkation, and the
general subdued, tractable manner which had been re-
ported by several surgeons-superintendent as the invaria-
ble characteristic of the prisoners from Pentonville, I ob-
served that :

" Though there may be no evidence that any permanent
injury has been sustained, such indications must not be
disregarded. From whatever cause they proceed, it appears
highly probable that an extension of the period of confine-
ment would be calculated to increase them, and it is to be
apprehended that, if increased, the result might be some
permanent injury to the majority of the prisoners. It has
been remarked that such effects show that we have arrived
' at the beginning of the end of good health.' "
Mr. Francis Gray, the authcr of a work on prison discip-
line, also observes upon this point :
" Sir George Grey expressed his concurrence in the
opinion of Sir Benjamin Brodie and Dr. Ferguson, who had
both been on the commission for the management of Pen-
tonville Prison, that the utmost watchfulness and discretion
on the part of the governor, chaplain, and medical attendants
would be requisite, in order to administer the system esta-
blished there with safety, and Sir J. Graham repeated the
same sentiment. If there is great danger that the bodily
and mental health will, in many cases, be so deranged as to
require medical interference, is there not a certainly that, in
many more, there will be a degree of debility and depression
not amounting to positive disease ? These effects, when
perceived may, perhaps, be deemed hereafter, as they have
been heretofore, to be evidences of reformation. But it is
a capital error to suppose that they promote or indicate any
real improvement of the morals or of the intellect."
On this latter point Mr. Kingsmill remarks, in his last
report :
" Depression of spirits is not contrition ; remorse is not
repentance ; resolutions and vows of amendment, made
whilst suffering the penalty of transgression, imply no
change of principle—no real reformation of character. The
weakening of man's physical and mental energies does not
generate piety. Religion cannot be in a healthy state
which originates in any disturbance of the mental powers."
The best evidence, however, of the results of the plans
which have been pursued in giving effect to the precau-
tionary measures introduced into the routine of discipline
in the course of the last 12 months is, that during the year
between the let of April, 1852, and 31st March, 1853, there
has been no case whatever of mental disease.

The foregoing explanations will, I trust, have satisfied
your lordship that the determination of the Government
in regard to limiting the term of separate confinement was
not hastily or unnecessarily adopted, and that the amelio-
ration which, under a change of circumstances, the di-
rectors have felt it to be their duty to recommend, are
such as are calculated to diminish the objections which
may be entertained by some to this system of discipline,
whilst they do not entail any sacrifice whatever of its
advantage,.

.xsclti:T_EßAL SYSTEM OF CONVICT DISCIPLINE.
tem ofddthc! question of establishing a comprehensive sys-
under BenscitZlne, applicable to the great body of convicts
ofan xithaezjarnuice tttrblanispB46ort-a_t,ion_, was under,
.consideration
nhanole
istusbbeaelwnas. most
andri IseatieloPlidul„careut-ZatY4PeoeuntosTidnevitrhelldeewihad been so conclusivepara
confinement: AI: ll'gait rdasedtt moral effects of se
hwando
been
ined to secure for the
confines
tag
ewashicrmtei
anticipations of those mod, interer, and thus realise the
1847 and 1848,
h, up to
convicts, by
improved and comprehensiveexperience scheme ein establishing an
under any circumstances.y aPPlicable . prison discipline,
The result was the determti to all convicts and
parate confinement should be irl,that the •
per,...A of
about 12 months, followed by strict
to au
avers ~,-.. se-
association and employment on publioPwenoalAr.tliacliite 1,9,f
proportioned to the original sentence. ---' fora period
In order to carry out those views, I was authorised
Sir George Grey to rent from the magistracy in by
and boroughs, where new prisons had been-eiccet:unties
spare accommodation they were declined to place at 4, an
the di
posal of the Government, at the rate of 6i. per annum for
each cell. Nearly 800 additional cells were obtained in this
manner. A portion of Millbank WaS appropriated for modi-
fied separation, and Pentonville was somewhat extended.
Instead, therefore, of 500 prisoners only being subjected to
separate confinement, arrangements were de by which
upwards of 2,000 are now undergoing tdi mascipline.
It was further determined to establish a large convict
prison at Portland, with a view to bring to the test of
actual experiment, not only the measures calculated to
assist in the reformation and industrial f training o pri-
soners, but to ascertain the beat mode of applying convic-
labour at the disposal of the State, in the execution of
works of national importance or acknowledged utility ;
with a further view to the final abolition of the bulb and