The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-05-18 00:00:00

T. S--,' 1 've been in twice; once in `yellow
lam now on vag side,' No. 17 : there's inure nor forty
many been in several times. I've been in --

Gadi three times. Got to know several chaps—B. T. 8.,
F. L.—he's transported. There's two Day V, urds of little chaps
altogether. T now sleep in No. 2. bottom. J. T. Sleeps svi'
me, and T. 8., and T. G. ; the last two are first time chaps.'
'We whisper together, but if they hear us ta'king they take our
tickets off, and supper gets stopped. Chaps often say what
they'll do and where they'll go when they gets out. Chaps
come down at gates and takes 'em off wi"em ;—t've heard 'em
sav

Under such circumstances he shows that all attempt,a to
produce- any reformation of character under our present
prison regulations, must fail, in which he is borne out by
the opinions of prison inspectors and others conversant
with the operation of the system.

iy which Mr: Adshead proposes is, " The
Ilion of prisoners by day and night, during

hours of laboUr

reli_qiou,

worship, instruction and

exercise, as absolutely necessary for preventing contami-
nation and for securing a proper system of discipline."
The prisoners should not be allowed even to see each
other, although, with proper restrictions and for good
conduct, they might be allowed occasionally to see their
friends, and to have proper books furnished to them for
their amusement. In the few prisons where this system
is adopted the best results have followed, habits of indus-
try have been acquired, the breaking up of bad connexions
has been effected, and the number of recommittals has
gradually lessened. Thus, in Preston Gaol, where the
separate system has been lately tried, according to the
report of Mr. Clay, the recommittals were, in 1843, 659 ;
in 1844, 554 ; in 1845, 476 ; and in 1846; 308, or a de-
crease of recommittals of 53 2-10 per cent. from 1843. A.
comparison with four other gaols in the county of Lanca-
shire, shows a balance of 45.5 per cent. in favour of
Preston; although in that gaol this system is not probably
carried out. In Reading Gaol,- Berks, where it has been
established, the recommittals were, from Midsummer to
Christmas, in 1841, 86; in 1842, 78; while in 1844 they
had fallen down to 8 cases.

As objections have been urged against this system, with
respect to its influence on mental and bodily health, Mr.
Adshead quotes the following from the report of the
visiting justices, dated Oct. 13, 1845 :

" Wiilireference to the more serious questions which concern
the state and condition of the prisoners, as to morals, disci-
pline, employment, hard labour, and observance of rules, noon
which the visiting justices are retmired to deliver a report, they
desire to express a perfect conviction that the superior con-
struction, arrangement, and adaption of the new gaol at Read-
ing, have been the means by which, under the strict attention
of the governor, the chaplain, and the officers of the gaol, the
regulations have been so beneficially enforeed.for the preserva-
tion of the health of the prisoner.
and that, frith respect to their
morals and discipline, every requisite has been attained which
can rationally be expected to command a salutaty influence
and control.
We shall merely, in conclusion, recommend the pamph-
let, and the facts which it contains, to the attention of
our owu magistracy.