CO885(2-3) — Page 569

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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.

Papers relating to the Improvement of Prison Discipline in the Colonies.

JAMAICA.

No. 1.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O. 8

Reference :-

885

King's House, January 3, 1872.

Governor Sir J. P. Grant, K.C.B., to the Earl of Kimberley.—(Received January 27.)

(No. 3.) My Lord,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 254 of the 21st of October, in which your Lordship conveys your approval of the amended Rules for working prisoners on the treadwheel in the General Penitentiary, which I submitted in my despatch No. 130 of the 7th of September last.

2. With reference to that portion of your Lordship's despatch inquiring whether I see any prospect of being able to establish an improved system of prison discipline, including separation and penal labour, in the other prisons throughout the island, as well as in the General Penitentiary, I forward herewith a copy of a letter from the Inspector of Prisons on the subject, in which that officer states that a more penal discipline will shortly be carried into effect in the district prisons by the introduction of shot-drill into them, it having been successfully worked in the St. Catherine District Prison for the last two months; but, with regard to the question of separation of prisoners, Mr. Shaw says that he does not see any prospect of this being carried into effect, as none of the district prisons are in their structural arrangements adapted to it, and a very heavy expense would have to be incurred to render them fit for the purpose.

3. In connection with the subject of penal labour, I may mention, for your Lord- ship's information, that an attempt was made some time ago to introduce into the district prisons here penal labour in the grinding of corn by mills worked by hand.

4. It was found, however, that, if the mills were worked all day, the quantity of corn that could be ground in a day was far in excess of the prison requirements; and Mr. Shaw reported that, in consequence of the existence of a general prejudice against the use of cornmeal ground by the prisoners, the meal so ground could not be sold at any reasonable price, and that it could not be put in store, as it would not keep.

5. For this reason the prisoners could not be kept at this work for a sufficiently long period of each day to render it really penal; and it was found impracticable to increase the severity of the labour by screwing up the mills, and using them for a shorter period of each day, in consequence of their liability to fracture when so screwed up.

6. This attempt was, therefore, a failure.

7. In order to the introduction of shot-drill, the services of a non-commissioned officer of the 29th Regiment were obtained, and the officers of the St. Catherine's District Prison were instructed in the drill. As the necessary knowledge is imparted to the officers of the several prisons, this form of penal labour will be introduced throughout.

(128)

I have, &c. (Signed) J. P. GRANT.

B

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