“A new feature has been the formation of ‘An Aged Convicts’ Party’ consisting of old men of sixty-seven years of age and upwards; they are located together, with special diet and privileges. A day room has been provided, also a garden with a yard adjoining; they are expected to do any light work they can undertake, without being tasked, and they are allowed to read and converse together. They appear to appreciate the relaxation of the ordinary prison discipline, and so far their behaviour has been excellent. “The number classified as weak-minded at the end of the year was 120, but in addition there were twenty-seven convicts attached to the parties of weak-minded for further mental observation. _Classification of Weak-minded Convicts_ (_a_) Congenital deficiency— 1. With epilepsy 10 2. Without epilepsy 36 (_b_) Imperfectly developed stage of insanity 26 (_c_) Mental debility after attack of insanity 13 (_d_) Senility 3 (_e_) Alcoholic 9 (_f_) Undefined 23 --- Total 120 --- “The following is a list of 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 1 Receiving stolen property 2 Larceny 24 Burglary 13 Shopbreaking, housebreaking, etc. 19 Blackmailing 1 Manslaughter 5 Inflicting grievous bodily harm 2 Wounding with intent 7 Shooting with intent 3 Wilful murder 10 Rape 2 Carnal knowledge of little girls 8 Arson 17 Horse-stealing 3 Killing sheep 1 Unnatural offence 1 Placing obstruction on railway 1 “A study of the criminal history of these 120 weak-minded convicts shows that sixty-two committed their first crime before the age of twenty years, and the total number of previous convictions standing against these 120 convicts amounted, in the aggregate, to 91 penal and 1,306 others. Forty convicts were certified insane: of these twenty-four were removed to the Criminal Asylum at Parkhurst, five to Broadmoor Asylum, seven to the County or Borough Asylums, one recovered, and three detained in the Prison Infirmary. Please notice how closely these figures approximate to the figures of the previous year.” Gloucester