The English Prison System

by Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise

Inmates may qualify for the Probationary Grade after passing nine months in the lower Grades in the case of males, and twelve months in the case of females.

6. Well-conducted inmates in the Special Grade may be selected by the Governor for work in places of trust and confidence on the farm or elsewhere, may be placed on parole, and may perform their work under such conditions for custody and supervision as he may think fit.

7. Inmates in the Special Grade, in addition to other privileges, will wear, in addition to a distinctive dress, a good conduct badge for every three months passed in the Special Grade. For every such badge they may be allowed a small money payment, which may be devoted to the purchase of approved objects, or sent to their relations.

8. They may also be specially selected for the duties of monitors, and will assist in the administration of the Establishment in various capacities, and will be known as the "Star Special" Grade.

9. The Visiting Committee shall consist of not less than six persons appointed by the Secretary of State. They shall hold office for such period not exceeding three years as may be fixed by the Secretary of State. They may exercise all such powers as are given to the Visiting Committees by the rules for the Government of Local Prisons made under the Prison Act, 1898.

10. As soon as any person is sentenced to detention in a Borstal Institution, arrangements shall be made for his removal thither, and until such arrangements can be made, he will be specially located and segregated in the prison of the district whence he was committed, and be subject to the Prison Rules for offenders sentenced to imprisonment without hard labour: provided that where, owing to lack of accommodation in the Borstal Institutions, immediate arrangements cannot be made for the removal of any person so sentenced to any Borstal Institution, the Prison Commissioners may temporarily locate such person in a prison where training similar to that given in Borstal Institutions is being given to a class of Juvenile-Adult prisoners; and any person so located shall not be allowed to associate with any prisoners except members of the Juvenile-Adult class, and shall be removed to a Borstal Institution as soon as accommodation is available.

11. Gratuities shall be placed to the credit of inmates, and shall be expended in assisting them on discharge.

12. When the Institution Board, having closely examined into the character and conduct of an inmate, and being satisfied, after communication with any society or person interested in the case, that there is a reasonable probability (1) that he will lead a useful and industrious life and abstain from crime, and (2) that employment will be found for him, may at any time, always provided that he has served not less than six months of his sentence, or three months in the case of females, submit the case to the Visiting Committee who, if they think fit, may thereupon recommend to the Prison Commissioners that he be discharged from the Institution on licence.

13. Special provision will be made for the discharge on licence of each inmate by arrangement with benevolent societies or persons who may be willing to assist the case on discharge. Full information will be afforded, and help given, to such societies or persons with the object of securing a continuous and well-directed supervision of the case, both at the moment of discharge and afterwards at the home or place to which the inmate goes. Every encouragement will be given to preliminary visitation in the Institution before discharge, in order that the Society or individual may have a personal knowledge of the inmate, and be in possession of the views of the authorities of the Institution concerning him.

14. If the Prison Commissioners are satisfied that an inmate who has been released on licence has escaped from the supervision of the Society or person under whose care he has been placed, or has been guilty of serious and wilful breach of the conditions of his licence, and that the case cannot be dealt with by admonition and warning, they may revoke the licence in pursuance of Section 5 (3) of the Act.