(a) Congenital deficiency:-
1. With epilepsy . . . . . . 9
2. Without epilepsy. . . . . . 46
(b) Imperfectly developed stage of insanity 18
(c) Mental debility after attack of insanity 8
(d) Senility . . . . . . 2
(e) Alcohol . . . . . . 6
(f) Undefined . . . . . . 28
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117
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"The following is a list of the crimes of the classified weak-minded for which they are undergoing their present sentences of penal servitude, and the number convicted for each type of crime—
False pretences . . . . . . . 3
Receiving stolen property . . . . . 3
Larceny . . . . . . . 18
Burglary . . . . . . . 7
Shop-breaking, house-breaking, etc. . . . 19
Uttering counterfeit coins . . . . . 1
Threatening letters . . . . . . 4
Threatening violence to superior officer. . 1
Robbery with violence . . . . . . 3
Manslaughter . . . . . . . 6
Wounding with intent. . . . . . . 8
Grievous bodily harm. . . . . . . 2
Attempted murder . . . . . . . 1
Wilful murder . . . . . . . . 7
Rape . . . . . . . . . 5
Carnal knowledge of little girls. . . . 8
Arson . . . . . . . . . 15
Cattle maiming . . . . . . . . 1
Placing obstruction on railway . . . . 2
Unnatural offences . . . . . . . 3
"During the year 35 convicts were certified insane; of these 27 were removed to the criminal asylum at Parkhurst, 2 to Broadmoor asylum, 3 to county or borough asylums, and 3 remained in the prison infirmary at the end of the year.
"The average length of the last sentences for which these unfortunates were committed was seven years' penal servitude each. That their mental condition was not temporary but permanent may be gathered from their educational attainments, for 12 had no education at all, 18 were only in Standard I, 29 in Standard II, 15 in Standard III, and 12 others were of poor education."
The statement that the average length of the last sentences of these unfortunates was seven years' penal servitude is appalling. It ought to astound us! But no one seems to care. Penal servitude is good enough for them. Perhaps it is! But it ought to be called by another name, and legally signify the inmates to be "patients," not criminals. Let us visit a prison where we shall find a sufficient number of prisoners to enable us to form an idea as to their physical and mental condition.
Come, then, on Sunday morning into a famous prison that long stood as a model to the world. We are going to morning service, when we shall have an opportunity of seeing face to face eight hundred male prisoners. But before we enter the chapel, let us walk round the hospital and see those who are on the sick list.
One look as we enter the ward convinced us that some are lying there whose only chance of freedom is through the gates of death.
In yonder corner lies a young man of twenty-one years; the governor tells us that he is friendless, homeless, and a hopeless consumptive. He says, "We would have sent him out, but he has nowhere to go, for he does not know his parish, so he must lie here till he dies, unless his sentence expires first."
We speak to the young man a few kindly words, but he turns his face from us, and of his history we learn nothing.