The English Prison System

by Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise

4. Inmates will remain in the Grade for six months at least. They will be specially located and will be allowed meals in association and conversational exercise and organised games at week-ends. When labour ceases in the afternoon, they will be permitted to change clothes for tea. Subject to educational requirements, classes, lectures, labour, &c., they will be free for recreation either in a room with others, or for the purpose of private work, study, &c., in their own rooms. The rooms will be locked only at night. Arrangements will be made, if practicable, to place inmates under Group Matrons in convenient groups. Marching in parties to labour will cease. Each inmate will find her own way to work, &c. at the appointed time. The Group Matron will be responsible for seeing that the strictest punctuality is observed, and that at a given signal every inmate is in her proper place.

An inmate's conduct and industry will be closely observed during this stage, and she will not be passed out of this Stage until the Institution Board is fully satisfied that she is doing her best. When the Institution Board are so satisfied, she shall be passed into the Special Grade.

The Special Grade.

5. On passing into the Special Grade, an inmate's case will be specially considered for conditional licence. During the time that has elapsed since reception, under the scheme detailed, it ought to be possible for the Authorities on the spot to have formed an opinion whether, or not, as prescribed by Section 5(1) of the Act, there is a reasonable probability that an inmate will lead a useful and industrious life if let out on licence. Cases, of course, differ infinitely. The causes that led to the Borstal sentence may be deeply ingrained, thus requiring a long period of reformatory training, or they may be due more to circumstance than character, and if the criminal habit or tendency is not deep seated, it is hoped that in many cases, the period of twelve months' detention, under healthy influences, will furnish sufficient guarantee that a criminal course is not likely to be persisted in. In arriving at an opinion on this point, the Institution Board will, of course, avail themselves to the fullest extent of the services and experience of the representative of the Borstal Association. Such representative will, if possible, be a member of the Visiting Committee, and thus closely identified with the history of each case from the commencement of sentence. Inquiries made by the Borstal Association as to home surroundings, parental influence, capacity for any special branch of work, will furnish the guide to the authorities in their determination of each case.

Inmates in the Special Grade will be specially located. Those not considered eligible for licence will, on passing into the Special Grade, be at once transferred to superior quarters, where they will be kept distinct from the main body, under a distinct body of officers, who will reside in quarters contiguous to such superior buildings. In addition to the privileges enjoyed by the Probationary Grade inmates in this Grade will have a special dress: their mess-room and dwelling rooms will be supplied with superior crockery, and they will elect their own mess president of each table or section. The reading of newspapers will be allowed.

Inmates may earn a good conduct stripe for every three months passed with exemplary conduct, carrying 5s. gratuity for the first stripe, 7s, 6d. for the second stripe, and 10s. for each stripe thereafter, up to a maximum of £2, half of which may be spent in purchase of articles for their own use, e.g., material for private work, articles of clothing &c.

Inmates may, in addition to the privileges allowed in the Probationary Grade, be allowed outside the walls on parole, or to go errands, or to undertake work in the neighbourhood.

Every ease in the Special Grade will be specially considered every two months by the Institution Board, with a view to conditional licence. The behaviour of inmates on parole will furnish the test of trustworthiness, and by its appeal to higher instincts, on conduct or behaviour, will strengthen the probability of successful liberation. A careful study and individualization, therefore, of each inmate in state of parole or semi-liberty, will furnish the necessary evidence for determining her fitness for liberty.

Star Special Grade.