PRISONS
Prisons Population
During the year 21,456 persons (18,253 males, 3,203 females) were, for various reasons, committed to the prisons of the Colony, as compared with 24,941 (21,345 males, 3,596 females) during
during 1948. Of this number, 16,448 (13,849 males and 2,599 females) were sentenced to serve terms of imprisonment, of which 8,320 in respect of males and 866 in respect of females were for periods of under a month. Assuming the population of the Colony to be in round figures 1,860,000 it appears that 884 persons per 100,000 of population were committed to serve sentences of imprisonment. In addition to the figures given, 29 boys were admitted to the Reformatory as compared with 64 during 1948. These admissions caused a daily average population of 3,041 (2,769 males, 211 females and 61 reformatory boys). The approved accommodation is for a total of 2,374 persons distributed as shown below.
Prison Buildings
Stanley Prison was built in 1937. It is a modern type of building, situated amid rural surroundings and has cellular accommodation for 1,578 prisoners but has been overcrowded since the day it was opened. During 1949 the lowest muster was 2,003 (on 28.12.49) and the highest was 2,794 (on 8.1.49), with a daily average of 2,342. It has a well equipped hospital and in one of the cell blocks 40 cells have double-sized windows to provide a good supply of fresh air for prisoners suffering from tuberculosis. The workshops are good in design but are inadequate for so large a prison. A building originally intended as a Printing Shop has been adapted to provide additional workshop space for the making of baskets and brooms. Part of it is used as a dormitory for prisoners in the 16-21 years age group.
Two war-time food-storage godowns, to which sanitary-block has been added, have been converted into workshops and class-rooms and set aside as a Training Centre for prisoners in the 16-21 age group. This centre is situated about 300 yards from Stanley Prison and the lads leave the prison early each morning and only return at the end of the day which has been devoted to school work, industrial or manual training and recreation in suitable proportions.
a
Victoria Prison is situated in Victoria near the Central Police Station and the Magistrates' Courts. In it are detained persons on remand and awaiting trial, those held in custody, pending deportation, vagrants, debtors, and convicted male prisoners serving sentences up to a month. Each of these
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