REVEREND J. FIELD'S PRISON DISCIPLINE.
NOTWITHSTANDING the various virtues of the Society of Friends, neither their mode of education nor their social pursuits are favourable to the acquisition of comprehensive views. " Too fund of the right to pursue the expedient," cannot be predicated of them as regards working for their immediate end ; but they are apt to overlook " that which before them lies in daily life," for some remote or abstract good, which is unattainable
in practice. Their well-meant efforts in favour of criminal reform have perhaps been pursued too hotly, regarding only the evil, without reference to originating causes or circumstances. We have little faith, humanly speak- ing, in individual reform : even the wonderful changes of character, to which observation is sometimes directed, perhaps less prove the fact of reformation than the maxim of Rochefoucault, " We often flatter ourselves that we have left our vices, when it is only our vices that have left us." Removal from evil companionship and temptation, with the natural disposition to please superiors who exhibit kindness, wile induce bona fide professions of reform, even if we allow nothing for hypocrisy. But if good advice and good little books would change the nature of men, how can they control their surrounding circumstances? If the prisoner has originally been driven by want to commit offences, he does not find his original prospects mended on his discharge from prison. Bread is not more easily earned than before—perhaps it is less ; and there is every probability that he will again be driven to steal to support life. In a real reformation of the born or the trained criminal we have no faith : but if he had both the wish to reform and strength of will to overcome his habits, what is he to do? Old friends will only tempt him to crime; new friends, if he can acquire any, will hardly enable him to live. In short, offences which arise from circumstances can only be reached by changing the causes, and not by attempts upon the effects.
These remarks do not apply to improvements in prisons or prison dis- cipline. If a man is not likely to be made better by imprisonment, he has clearly a right not to be made worse. People differ as to the duties of the state in education, and in other points relating to the wellbeing of individuals : there can be no doubt that it is not the duty of the state to place the accused or even the guilty where they must perforce be corrupted whether they will or not; and not corrupted, as in the Army or Navy, by mixing perchance with bad companions, but by an impossibility of escaping or resisting them. Yet till the time of How- ard, both the body and mind of prisoners were ruined without an idea that there was anything wrong in it ; and even now, the principle that the state is bound to do no wanton wrong to its subjects is rarely acted upon ; the prisons where a proper system takes place are looked at as shows.
The researches of Mr. Field, the author of the volumes before us, have shown that, at the very beginning of the last century, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge investigated the state of Newgate, and a report was drawn up by Dr. Bray suggesting reforms. Occasionally the novelists by delineation, and the essayists by reasoning, drew attention to the abuses of prisons ; but it was not till Howard's exertions that the subject took a distinct hold on the public mind, and became, to some ex- tent at least, a practical question. In England, not much was done for many years beyond some gradual reformation of actual abuses. In a phi- losophical treatment of the subject Continental writers probably led the way; but America may claim the credit of having first systematically at- tempted to reduce philosophy to practice, in its two leading forms, the Silent and the Separate systems.
Among the labourers in the cause of establishment rather than dis- covery, Mr. Field, the Chaplain of the Reading Gaol, is well known for the improvements lie has introduced into the management of the Berk- shire prisoners; the Magistrates, to carry out his views, having deter- mined to erect a new prison, because the old one did not admit of the re- quisite arrangements. Mr. Field's system is that of separation ; since the silent, or rather the non-communication plan, cannot be completely enforced, while its partial success depends upon severe punishment, and hardens the prisoner by exasperating him. In addition to various sub- ordinate advantages, the Separate system enables a prisoner to escape re- cognition hereafter by his fellow prisoners or strangers, and compels re- flection in the most beneficial form.
" Any who are acquainted with the feelings of criminals must be aware how averse they are from reflection. A punishment will generally appear dreadful to them as the means of avoiding consideration are prevented. The very dread im- plies the necessity for such a corrective exercise and the wisdom of enforcing it. On the other hand, the fear and dislike of imprisonment will diminish in pro- portion as opportunities of lulling an accusing conscience may be allowed, or the means of killing time either amidst vicious companions, or even by laborious occu- pation, may be permitted. "And whilst I deprecate compulsory hard labour, as preventing remorse, re- flection, and improvement, I world insist more strongly, upon the impropriety of allowing a large portion of the day to be spent in light and agreeable manual occu- pation: whilst such deprive the prison of its punitive character, they have no ten- dency to render it a place of correction. The work of the prisoner (excepting those to be tran-ported, who may well be taught trades) should not be of a kind that he would choose under other circumstances. Employment, elsewhere moat unpleasant, will be a welcome resource in the cell. Work of a common description becomes then an amusement, a means of diversion, a waste of time as regards the purpose of imprisonment. Hence the mistake of employing criminals in the ser- vice of the prison. Their correction is thus often sacrificed to false economy. If any must be so occupied, those alone should be selected who have been long con- fined, and in whose reformation much confidence is felt. But even with such the time thus spent should be short. It was for corrective punishment that its du- ration was determined; and that will not be promoted, may perhaps be frustrated, by any premature interference with their penal seclusion, or by lessening the term assigned for reflection and instruction. • • • It is further worthy of notice, that the diet given to convicts of this class is that which is appointed for those at hard labour. Now, although the depression of criminals when separately confined may be a sufficient cause for affording that same liberal allowance, yet if remorse and reflection be thus prevented the cause is removed, and then the super- abundance of food seriously interferes with the correction of the prisoner."
The Jesuits give their pupils plenty to support health and strength, nothing to pamper taste or excite the passions. When Steinmetz, in the skill. He is not, indeed, original or very vigorous; tut he produces an first flush of enthusiasm, imposed self fasting, he was directed to eat meat: when he discovered a taste for condiments, they cut off his salt. Some such system Mr. Field would introduce in prisons.
" The various dietaries have been theeblect of repeated discussion. Justice and humanity, although never really opposed, have on this question appeared at variance. To supply the criminal with a portion which the honest labourer can hardly by industry obtain, and equal to that which the innocent pauper is allowed, might seem to encourage offences: on the other hand, to withhold a sufficiency, especially under a system of imprisonment which has a tendency to depress, would be inflicting injury both present and permanent, and in all probability would prevent the efficacy of those means which now prove corrective. On the other hand, it must be oliserved that remorse and consequent depression is seldom lasting; and when it has given place to other feelings, certainly less food may be sufficient. Amidst difficulties of this kind, it is perhaps most safe to regulate the diet of convicts only with reference to health, and as to quantity, irrespective of punishment. If this principle be admitted, it may be a question whether the food itself should not be so coarse as, although perfectly wholesome, to prevent self-indulgence; so that the prisoner, instead of eating to excess, should rather be induced to abstain from more than the calls of hunger require. "A dietary formed with reference to the duration of imprisonment, or according to any other plan which shall appoint rations to particular classes, must be ob- jectionable in proportion to the number included in each class. Some individuals May and do feast, and grow fat to a degree inconsistent either with punishment or improvement, upon a measure scarcely sufficient for the sustenance of others. It is thought therefore that the system of prison discipline would be yet more perfect, either if food less palatable were provided, or if, as with hospital patients, the medical officer should in every case apportion that quantity which the con- stitution or previous habits of the criminal might require. At present he may increase but cannot diminish the legal allowance. He should be permitted to do either; the latter, perhaps, with the concurrence of Visiting Justices."
It will have been gathered even from these extracts that Mr. Field en- tertains higher expectations than we do of criminal reform. As a matter of system—as a thing that can be worked with average instruments and a uniform result—we deem that little more can be promised than not to make men worse. Mr. Field holds that you may make them perma- nently better. That the combination of wish and will, which we call character, may be set up in a prisoner, is possible ; but we doubt about its general practicability, and stall more about its general results when the man is cast loose. Two things may be traced throughout Mr. Field's volumes,—he rather confounds effects which are owing to special aptitude in, superintendence with those which can be generally re- lied on; and he jumps to conclusions that the premises scarcely support. Thus, he dwells upon the rarity of criminal recommittals to Reading Gaol. It turns out that vagrants, who dislike,the strict discipline, betake them- selves to other districts; and it is very possible that thieves may follow a similar plan.
The two volumes are an expansion, upon an extended scale, of a work Mr.. Field published some time since; which was itself the extension of his report to the Magistrates of Berkshire, and given to the world at their request. The primitive part of the work, revised and enlarged by new facts, consists of a discussion on the different systems of prison dis- cipline; the main topic being the superiority of the Separate over the Silent plan, and an account of the management pursued at Reading; while the views of the author are illustrated by quotations from various writers, mid the evidence given in public reports on the subject. This is now in- troduced by an historical sketch of the state of English prisons before and since the time of Howard ; and the book closes with a view of the present condition of prisons on the Continent of Europe and in America.
As containing a full discussion of the various points connected with prison discipliue, and a good deal of matter relating both to the history and management of prisons, these volumes may be recommended to those who take an interest in the question. The work, however, is better cal- culated to instruct those who wish to know more, than to excite a desire for instruction in those who care nothing for the subject. Mr. Field is rather deficient both iu closeness and grasp ; so that the reader has to travel over a good deal in proportion to the conclusions he can draw. Mr. Field's merit, in short, is rather practical than didactic: like an an- cient Roman, he is more fitted to do than to celebrate his doings.
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