the-ordinances-of-the-legislative-counci-1890v4 — Page 120

ORDINANCE No. 18 OF 1885 . 1937


Prison.


310. In the event of a prisoner's attempting to escape, the officer in charge of his
party will blow his whistle to attract the attention of the other officers, and will then
fall-in the remaining prisoners of his party and await instructions from the head
turnkey.
311. The head turnkey, the turnkey, and the Sikh guards will not fire at an escap
ing prisoner unless his escape cannot be prevented by any other means ; and even then
will only endeavour to disable him, remembering that loss of life is to be avoided if
possible.
312. The assistant turnkeys will keep a book in which they will enter the numbers ,
names , and sentences of the prisoners of their respective parties, making special re
marks as to the industry of each prisoner, and they will be responsible to the head
turnkey for the tools used by their parties.
REMISSION OF SENTENCES, AND REWARDS UNDER THE MARK SYSTEM .

313. The time which every prisoner with a sentence of twelve months and upwards
must pass in prison will be represented by a certain number of marks, which he must
earn by actual labour performed before he can be discharged.
314. No remission will be granted for conduct. It is only on condition of good
conduct and strict obedience that prisoners are allowed to earn by their industry a
remission of a portion of their sentence. If, therefore, their conduct be indifferent or
bad, they will be liable to be fined a certain number of marks, according to the nature
and degree of the offence, and will then forfeit by misconduct the remission which they
have earned by their industry.
315. The marks will be given according to the following scale
(a.) 6 marks a day for zealous and steady hard labour.
(b.) 5 marks for a less degree of industry.
(c.) 4 marks for a moderate day's work.
316. The prisoner's marks will commence at the termination of the penal stage.
317. On the admission of a prisoner with a sentence of twelve months and up
wards, such sentence will be reduced to days, which will be multiplied by four, thus
giving the number of marks he is compelled to earn before his discharge ; thus, take
the twelve months sentence, 365 days multiplied by four will give 1,460, the number of
marks he must earn at the rate of four a day to complete the whole of his sentence.
318. If by his industry the prisoner gains six marks a day, and does not lose any
for misconduct, he earns the full remission of one- third allowed by the Governor.
319. On Sundays marks will be allowed for conduct alone. Except under special
circumstances where injury has accidentally resulted while on prison work, a prisoner
will get only five marks a day during the time he is in hospital. Prisoners on light
labour by order of the Surgeon will not get more than five marks a day.
320. Prisoners who by their misconduct forfeit the whole of their remission, will
be liable to be kept in separate confinement during the last 6 months of their sentence.
321. The prison officers will be supplied with books in which they will enter each
evening the marks each prisoner has earned during the day.