Humanity and humanitarianism : with special reference to the prison systems of Great Britain and the United States, the question of criminal lunacy, and capital punishment / by William Tallack.

  • William Tallack
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Humanity and humanitarianism : with special reference to the prison systems of Great Britain and the United States, the question of criminal lunacy, and capital punishment / by William Tallack. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    abolished under an Act of Parliament. In reference to a similar order by the Home Secretary in 1862, limiting the gratuities earnable by convicts, an experienced Lancashire magistrate, ]\ir. A. Aspland, writes: This was probably the most unwise order that was ever issued, as the inevitable result is the reten- tion of a highly dangerous class entirely in this country. The extensive facility of emigration afforded to Irish convicts is found to be most beneficial, and, indeed, constitutes the primary and characteristic source of the diminution of convicts in Ireland, and of their ultimate restoration to honest industry. Mr. T. B, LI. Baker, of Gloucester, has for many years advo- cated the industrial treatment of ordinary prisoners, at least diu'uig the latter portion of their detention, in agricultural or manufactur- ing establishments, which he would term adult reformatories. He argues that as similar reformatories for youths, under the management of private individuals or associations, responsible to the Home Secretary, have resulted in a great diminution of juvenile crime, satisfactory consequences would also ensue if the same principle were extended to the better class of adult prisoners. No new Act of Parliament is needed to carry out this view. The Home Secretary could declare any such establishment a prison. Nor would further grants of money be needed. The success of the prison farm at Lusk, Ireland, so admirably managed by the late Mr. J. P. Organ, points to the desirability of largely increasing the number of such institutions. But hitherto it has scarcely been imitated, except on the Continent of Europe, as in France, Belgium, &c. CONCLUSION. In conclusion it may be repeated that, whilst the deterrence of criminals is a principle justified by necessity and warranted 1)y Scripture, within due limits, and whilst justice to the virtuous and peaceable citizen recjuh^es the treatment of the evil-doer to * Tf,8t OF Refoumation.—Such prison farms and adult reformatories would attord a much better means of testing the better class of prisoners before dis- charge than m ordmary gaols. It has been remarked, It is the want of a guaranty of a prisoner s reformation that, on his discharge, builds a wall of granite between him and opportunities of earning honest bread. This trial stage IS an essential part of a reformatory prison system.