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PRISONS COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.
1012 The majority of our prisons are now (the report proceeds) wealth and liberal minds will endow research fellowships in particular subjects so as to insure a continuous contribution equipped with special cells for prisoners suffering from tuberto the study of human disease. The enterprise is being administered by a joint sommittee consisting of Government nominees and leading representatives of the mining industry, under the chairmanship of Mr. P. Ross Frames, the managing director of the
culous disease. It is
found
ment of tuberculous disease. Ilabitnat
Inebriates- A nthropologioal Investigation.
With regard to the habitual inebriate under State control, of both sexes, it appears from the report of the inspector, Dr. R. W. Rranthwaite, that the population at both institutionsWarwick and Aylesbury-for males and females respectively is rapidly decreasing, the daily number under detention at the former being only 19 and that at the latter only 62. Dr. Branthwaite says thatunless some effort is made to secure the passage into law of a consolidating and amending Bill this excellent attempt to institute more rational methods for dealing with habitual inebriates, at any rate with those who haunt our courts and prisons, is doomed to failure." If, as stated in the report, there are sufficient indications to justify the belief that a measure of mental defect exists, in many cases, from birth or early age, it may reasonably be anticipated that in course of time, when the Mental Deficiency Act is in full operation, such cases will have been eliminated, having been certified as mental defects. Referring to the publication in August last of Dr. 0. Goring’s report, recording the results of his anthropological investiga. tion in convict prisons, the Commissioners remark that what. ever reception is given to the various conclusions arrived at there can be no doubt that the anthropological data, pre. sented in a series of tables, are of great scientific value. ’’ This praiseworthy work is an attempt to present an outline of conclusions reached by the application of the statistical method to the data furnished by inquiry as to the physical and mental condition of convicts in English prisons. Close mathematical analysis of these data, within the admitted limits of the inquiry pursued with remarkable patience and ability, points to the conclusion that there is not any significant relationship between crime and what are popularly believed to be its ’causes’-inherited stigma, poverty, illiteracy, &c. In other words, there are no physical, mental, or moral characteristics peculiar to the inmates of English prisons. What Dr, Goring insists upon is that conviction of crime is associated with constitutional rather than circumstantial conditions, and, as these are heritable, the genesis of crime mmt to this extent be influenced by heredity; and the criminal diathesis, revealed by the tendency to crime, is affected by heredity to much the same extent as other physical and mental conditions in man ; but this does not mean that a man is predestined to a criminal career by a tendency which he is unable to control. It only means that heritable constitutional conditions have hitherto prevailed in the making of criminais ; which is to say, that variation of environment within the restricted limits examined (from the education of the streets to that of public elementary school, reformatory school, &c., for instance) has not been sufficient, in the long run, to counteract or mask the force of inherited proclivity, which nevertheless is itself a force of varying intensity, and one which can be regulated, encouraged, or stultified by training and education and
PRISONS COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT. THE report of the Commissioners of Prisons and the Directors of Convict Prisons for the year ended March 31st, 1914, has been presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty. It is signed by Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise, K.C.B. (chairman), Mr. F. J. Dryhurst, C.B., Captain C. F. de L. Eardley-Wilmot, Mr. M. L. Waller, and Sir Herbert Smalley, M.D. as
were
suffering from phthisis on reception, all showed some improvement during their imprisonment in the suitable environment provided, and medical officers generally report favourably on the facilities now given for the special treatto be
Premier Diamond Mining Company. The institute’s buildings embody the latest ideas in medical research, and include five wards for the reception of patients. In these wards, which will be nursed from the adjoining Johannesburg General Hospital, the phenomena of disease will be recorded under laboratory conditions and the best methods of treatment ascertained by close observation and comparison. The Government and the mining administration of South Africa are to be congratulated upon their enlightened enterprise, an enterprise which should not be permitted to languish for want of financial support. The prosecution of medical research is one of the high functions of man, a manifestation of that spirit of humanism which will bear sway when barbaric militarism has disappeared from among the civilised peoples: the moment when South Africa is proving in a very patriotic and practical way her willingness to bear her part in an imperial war on behalf of peace would be a very fitting one to place the South African Institute for Medical Research on a firm financial footing.
E tatist-ics
satisfactory to note that at Birmingham
Prison, where 26 (25 male and 1 female) prisoners
to Local and Convict Prisons.
The report states that the daily average population in local Borstal was 14.352, in convict prisons 2704, in institutions 928, in State inebriate reformatories 81, and in private detention prisons 171. As compared with the previous year these figures show adecrease of 1182 in local prisons The receptions into prisons and 172 in convict prisons. during the year numbered 128,686 on summary conviction and 7738 on conviction on indictment-total 136,424. The death-rate in local prisons from natural causes was 0’ 55 per 1000 prisoners received, the average for the previous 25 years being 0’ 50 per 1000. The death-rate from natural causes in convict prisons was 7-4 per 1000 of the daily average population, as compared with 3’ 9 in the preceding year and 6’3 for the past ten years. The number of persons in local prisons found to be insane and certified as such after reception was 140, as compared with 135 last year; and in convict prisons 44, as compared with 48. Of the 140 cases certified in local prisons 100 were found to be insane on reception, and 8 exhibited symptoms of insanity within a month of reception. Many of those who were in prison for some time before the usual symptoms of insanity were observed were known to be of weak intellect or mentally impaired " on reception, or to have been previously insane. The example. Constitution of the Commission. number of prisoners who were released from local prisons on medical grounds (exclusive of pregnancy, &c.) was 38, and The following reference is made to the recent change in from convict prisons 2. There were 11 suicides in local the constitution of the Commission by the appointment of prisons during the year and 1 in convict prisons. TheSir Herbert Smalley to be a member of the board : " The number of prisoners formally recognised as being so feeble-growing importance of the medical side of prison administraminded as to be unfit for the ordinary penal discipline wastion, the numberless questions that continually arise demand843 in local prisons and in convict prisons 108. It is hopedLing medical knowledge and experience, led the Secretary of that the passing of the Mental Deficiency Act, which cameState to the opinion that there should be a strengthening of into operation on April 1st, 1914, will, as soon as thethis Commission by the addition of a medical authority of necessary operations can be made by the newly created1 long and wide experience, and one who, as medical inspector Board of Control, relieve the prison authority of a greatfor many years, had become conversant with all questbns burden and responsibility in dealing with these cases. affecting the mental and physical state of prisoners. Sir H. It is estimated that about 70 per cent. of such cases3Smalley now takes his place on the Prisons Board, and will will satisfy the definition of the Act and will hence-- bye relieved to a large extent of the duties of general inspecforth pass under the control of the body speciallyr tion which he has hitherto discharged by the appointment of appointed to assign the proper treatment necessary in eachiMr. 0. F. N. Treadwell, formerly medical officer of Parkhurst individual case. Prison, to be Assistant Medical Inspector of Prisons."
neglect,
prisons
,
’
culous disease. It is
found
ment of tuberculous disease. Ilabitnat
Inebriates- A nthropologioal Investigation.
With regard to the habitual inebriate under State control, of both sexes, it appears from the report of the inspector, Dr. R. W. Rranthwaite, that the population at both institutionsWarwick and Aylesbury-for males and females respectively is rapidly decreasing, the daily number under detention at the former being only 19 and that at the latter only 62. Dr. Branthwaite says thatunless some effort is made to secure the passage into law of a consolidating and amending Bill this excellent attempt to institute more rational methods for dealing with habitual inebriates, at any rate with those who haunt our courts and prisons, is doomed to failure." If, as stated in the report, there are sufficient indications to justify the belief that a measure of mental defect exists, in many cases, from birth or early age, it may reasonably be anticipated that in course of time, when the Mental Deficiency Act is in full operation, such cases will have been eliminated, having been certified as mental defects. Referring to the publication in August last of Dr. 0. Goring’s report, recording the results of his anthropological investiga. tion in convict prisons, the Commissioners remark that what. ever reception is given to the various conclusions arrived at there can be no doubt that the anthropological data, pre. sented in a series of tables, are of great scientific value. ’’ This praiseworthy work is an attempt to present an outline of conclusions reached by the application of the statistical method to the data furnished by inquiry as to the physical and mental condition of convicts in English prisons. Close mathematical analysis of these data, within the admitted limits of the inquiry pursued with remarkable patience and ability, points to the conclusion that there is not any significant relationship between crime and what are popularly believed to be its ’causes’-inherited stigma, poverty, illiteracy, &c. In other words, there are no physical, mental, or moral characteristics peculiar to the inmates of English prisons. What Dr, Goring insists upon is that conviction of crime is associated with constitutional rather than circumstantial conditions, and, as these are heritable, the genesis of crime mmt to this extent be influenced by heredity; and the criminal diathesis, revealed by the tendency to crime, is affected by heredity to much the same extent as other physical and mental conditions in man ; but this does not mean that a man is predestined to a criminal career by a tendency which he is unable to control. It only means that heritable constitutional conditions have hitherto prevailed in the making of criminais ; which is to say, that variation of environment within the restricted limits examined (from the education of the streets to that of public elementary school, reformatory school, &c., for instance) has not been sufficient, in the long run, to counteract or mask the force of inherited proclivity, which nevertheless is itself a force of varying intensity, and one which can be regulated, encouraged, or stultified by training and education and
PRISONS COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT. THE report of the Commissioners of Prisons and the Directors of Convict Prisons for the year ended March 31st, 1914, has been presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty. It is signed by Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise, K.C.B. (chairman), Mr. F. J. Dryhurst, C.B., Captain C. F. de L. Eardley-Wilmot, Mr. M. L. Waller, and Sir Herbert Smalley, M.D. as
were
suffering from phthisis on reception, all showed some improvement during their imprisonment in the suitable environment provided, and medical officers generally report favourably on the facilities now given for the special treatto be
Premier Diamond Mining Company. The institute’s buildings embody the latest ideas in medical research, and include five wards for the reception of patients. In these wards, which will be nursed from the adjoining Johannesburg General Hospital, the phenomena of disease will be recorded under laboratory conditions and the best methods of treatment ascertained by close observation and comparison. The Government and the mining administration of South Africa are to be congratulated upon their enlightened enterprise, an enterprise which should not be permitted to languish for want of financial support. The prosecution of medical research is one of the high functions of man, a manifestation of that spirit of humanism which will bear sway when barbaric militarism has disappeared from among the civilised peoples: the moment when South Africa is proving in a very patriotic and practical way her willingness to bear her part in an imperial war on behalf of peace would be a very fitting one to place the South African Institute for Medical Research on a firm financial footing.
E tatist-ics
satisfactory to note that at Birmingham
Prison, where 26 (25 male and 1 female) prisoners
to Local and Convict Prisons.
The report states that the daily average population in local Borstal was 14.352, in convict prisons 2704, in institutions 928, in State inebriate reformatories 81, and in private detention prisons 171. As compared with the previous year these figures show adecrease of 1182 in local prisons The receptions into prisons and 172 in convict prisons. during the year numbered 128,686 on summary conviction and 7738 on conviction on indictment-total 136,424. The death-rate in local prisons from natural causes was 0’ 55 per 1000 prisoners received, the average for the previous 25 years being 0’ 50 per 1000. The death-rate from natural causes in convict prisons was 7-4 per 1000 of the daily average population, as compared with 3’ 9 in the preceding year and 6’3 for the past ten years. The number of persons in local prisons found to be insane and certified as such after reception was 140, as compared with 135 last year; and in convict prisons 44, as compared with 48. Of the 140 cases certified in local prisons 100 were found to be insane on reception, and 8 exhibited symptoms of insanity within a month of reception. Many of those who were in prison for some time before the usual symptoms of insanity were observed were known to be of weak intellect or mentally impaired " on reception, or to have been previously insane. The example. Constitution of the Commission. number of prisoners who were released from local prisons on medical grounds (exclusive of pregnancy, &c.) was 38, and The following reference is made to the recent change in from convict prisons 2. There were 11 suicides in local the constitution of the Commission by the appointment of prisons during the year and 1 in convict prisons. TheSir Herbert Smalley to be a member of the board : " The number of prisoners formally recognised as being so feeble-growing importance of the medical side of prison administraminded as to be unfit for the ordinary penal discipline wastion, the numberless questions that continually arise demand843 in local prisons and in convict prisons 108. It is hopedLing medical knowledge and experience, led the Secretary of that the passing of the Mental Deficiency Act, which cameState to the opinion that there should be a strengthening of into operation on April 1st, 1914, will, as soon as thethis Commission by the addition of a medical authority of necessary operations can be made by the newly created1 long and wide experience, and one who, as medical inspector Board of Control, relieve the prison authority of a greatfor many years, had become conversant with all questbns burden and responsibility in dealing with these cases. affecting the mental and physical state of prisoners. Sir H. It is estimated that about 70 per cent. of such cases3Smalley now takes his place on the Prisons Board, and will will satisfy the definition of the Act and will hence-- bye relieved to a large extent of the duties of general inspecforth pass under the control of the body speciallyr tion which he has hitherto discharged by the appointment of appointed to assign the proper treatment necessary in eachiMr. 0. F. N. Treadwell, formerly medical officer of Parkhurst individual case. Prison, to be Assistant Medical Inspector of Prisons."
neglect,
prisons
,
’