The Punishment and Prevention of Crime (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. MODERN PRISONS. The next great step in the reform of our prison system was the introduction of the Prisons Bill in 1876, and its enactment in 1877. The justification of this measure was that, notwithstanding the Act of 1865, the desired uniformity in the system of punishment had not been secured, while the facilities for locomotion and travel had become so great that the difference between the effect of the sentences in different localities became very apparent, and was said even to be taken into account bythe criminal classes. The buildings, moreover, in many cases, remained wofully below the proper standard, and the power of the Secretary of State to require improvements was found inadequate, or, what had the same result, very difficult to enforce. It was obvious, moreover, to those who investigated the matter, that this ineffective system was also unduly costly, and that both defects were due to the impossibility of getting a great number of independent authorities, large and small, to conform in the necessary degree in the details of the system, or to unite their prisons in such a manner as a reasonable regard for economy would have directed. There were still 113 county, borough, and liberty F prisons, and these were managed and superintended by about 2000 justices or more. It is obvious that when power and responsibility are shared among so many they become unduly diluted or frittered away; and the supervision exercised by such a large body--who individually could rarely, and collectively never, acquire the detail knowledge which comes only by accumulated practical experience--must, from the nature of things, be very uncertain and imperfect, while a check of this nature is very liable to be delusive. The possibility of crying abuses and c...