Crime -- Great Britain; Criminal anthropology; Punishment -- Great Britain
The newer cells are lined with glazed brick in deference to some sanitary
notions. It is a great pity that the apostles of sanitation cannot be
compelled to live in the places they design. No doubt the glazed walls are
more easily cleaned than whitewashed brick would be, but they strike a
chill into the occupants of the place, and moisture condenses on them in a
way that it does not elsewhere. Cleanliness let us have by all reasonable
means, but to be clean it is not necessary to be uncomfortable; and such
methods are enough to disgust with cleanliness those who have to submit to
their results. Another objectionable feature of the cell is the presence
of a water-closet in it. Surely the sanitary expert has been napping when
this was arranged; but here again the matter seems to be one of expense.
The reasonable way would be to escort prisoners to a place when necessary,
but that would mean the provision of a proper staff of warders. The cell
is otherwise unfurnished save for a raised slab of wood which takes the
place of a bed. There is no bedding provided. It is a barbarous provision
for the man who is presumed to be innocent. As for his diet, there is none
prescribed. He may have food sent in or he may have money to purchase it.
If not, he will have to get along on bread and water, not having been
proved guilty. In the morning he will be brought before the court, and if
he asks for it he may have water to wash himself before appearing there.
Cleanliness is not enforced, though it may be encouraged; but judging by
their appearance when admitted to prison, not many have sought the
water-basin during their stay in the police cell.
By the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1908, it was provided that persons should
not be kept in police cells for more than one night, and all persons
remanded were sent to prison, to their distinct advantage; for there the
staff and conditions are arranged for the custody of prisoners, and they
are free for the time being from the noises incidental to the arrest and
confinement of drunken persons, while they have a better chance of having
their needs attended to. This procedure entailed more work on the
officials, a difficulty that could easily have been overcome by a small
increase in the staff. It meant not more trouble than is necessitated in
the case of persons remitted to higher courts, and if the interests of the
prisoners who are presumed to be innocent had been considered the Act
would have remained in force; but their convenience was not represented so
powerfully as that of the officials, and reversion to the old, bad plan of
retaining prisoners in the custody of the police has taken place. They may
be kept in the police cells for forty-eight hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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