The number of preventive detention prisoners at the beginning of the year was 14; 5 entered on preventive detention at the end of their penal servitude sentences, and 2 males and 1 female were returned to prison, their licences having been revoked; 8 were discharged on licence, so that there were 14 in custody at the end of the year. These men were employed, as usual, on instructive work at Peterhead; but it becomes abundantly clear that few of them have any hope of making good after their discharge. They are those who should be kept more or less permanently in custody, as they are no sooner released than they commence once more to prey upon the public.

PROBATION OF OFFENDERS.

The Scottish Central Association has continued to undertake probation cases in the Sheriffdoms of the Lothians and Glasgow. At present Scotland is behind England inasmuch as legislation introducing the universal system of probation is in force in England, and it is understood a number of probation officers has been appointed under its terms. Doubtless similar legislation will follow in Scotland before long. Until this comes about the number of cases satisfactorily dealt with by probation must remain small in Scotland. Evidence was given on this subject by the Officers of the Central Association before the Scottish Departmental Committee on Young Offenders, &c.

LIVES OF PRISONERS.

The lives of a certain number of male and female prisoners as narrated by themselves are again published (Appendix LII). As usual they show a considerable variety of contributory causes; drink figures perhaps more largely than usual, and there is an appreciable number of cases of fraud in regard to pensions and unemployment pay.

EDUCATION OF PRISONERS.

Of the 11,518 male and 3,378 female prisoners received on conviction into prisons only, 528 males and 317 females were quite illiterate; 10,983 males and 3,061 females could read or write, while only 7 males were of superior education. Those who were illiterate have been instructed in the three R's as usual in every prison, while special attention has been given to the young prisoners in Barlinnie and Edinburgh Prisons, who have been taught by teachers from the Education Authorities of the respective districts at the expense of the Prisons Vote. This matter is specially referred to in the reports of those teachers and of the schoolmaster at Polmont Institution.

CRIMINAL LUNATIC DEPARTMENT.

Admissions during the year were 15 males and 2 females, as compared with 14 males and 3 females in the previous year. The average daily number of inmates was 68 males and 4 females.

This number would have been largely exceeded had the Commissioners not continued their previous policy of transferring to ordinary lunatic asylums all those who were suitable, and conditionally liberating such inmates as have recovered and are considered fit for liberation.

DEATH SENTENCES.

There were none during the year.

BEHAVIOUR OF PRISONERS.

The number of prisoners punished is shown in Appendix X. No marked change from previous years is shown, the slight increase being probably accounted for by the extra number of prisoners.

During the year there were 11 escapes, of whom 10 were Borstal inmates-9 from Polmont and 1 from Edinburgh-and 1 female prisoner from Oban Legalised Police Cells. Nine were recaptured during the year, 6 on the same day; and 2 were stili at large at the end of the year.

A male prisoner committed suicide.

HEALTH OF PRISONERS.

The health of prisoners has been good and the death-rate low. There was a slight outbreak of diphtheria at Barlinnie Prison.

There were 71 cases of prisoners reported as insane; in 60 cases the insanity was believed to have existed before imprisonment, in 11 it was observed subsequently; 52 of these were untried, of whom 39 were discharged by order of the Procurator Fiscal, and 9 were removed to asylums; of the 8 convicted, 3 were removed to local asylums, and 5 were sent to the Criminal Lunatic Department; 19 prisoners were reported as feebleminded and were handed over to Inspectors of Poor on discharge; 4 were certified under the Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1913-3 of these were dealt with under Section 10 of the Act and 1 was handed over to the Parish Council on expiry of sentence. There has been considerable difficulty in finding accommodation to which mental defectives could be transferred under Section 10.

The following table shows the number dealt with during the past few years :

It will be seen from Appendix XXVII that no less than 81 prisoners suffering from diseases of various kinds which threatened danger to life or could not be properly treated in prison were transferred by order of the Sheriff to ordinary hospitals during the year. While in these hospitals the cost of their maintenance is paid for by the Prison Commissioners, but

this system enables them to receive the full benefit of the same skilled medical treatment which is available for patients outside prison. To bring in skilled nurses to prison to nurse one individual would obviously cost much more and would be less satisfactory. Special attention is given to the eyesight and teeth of Borstal inmates, who are visited periodically by specialists, and the necessary treatment is subsequently carried out.

PRISONS (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1926.

This Act came into force during the year. In effect it supersedes section 40 of the Prisons (Scotland) Act, 1877, which made it necessary when a prison was discontinued to expose the buildings for sale by public auction. This section simplifies the procedure when old prisons are closed, as has been the case with Edinburgh (Calton) Prison, and will probably soon be the case with others. Section 2 (1) extends the maximum period for which Police Cells may be legalised to 30 days. The Prison Commissioners do not anticipate that this power should be exercised except in a very few cases, as, for example, when Island Prisons, such as Stornoway, are discontinued and handed over to the Police. This extension will save prisoners serving sentences up to 30 days from the double sea voyage and delay in getting home after expiry of sentence, and will also make it easier for untried prisoners to prepare their defence.

It has hitherto been legal to detain prisoners in these buildings up to two years, though in practice it has been the policy of the Commissioners to transfer prisoners with long sentences to a mainland prison. The total number of prisoners affected is, however, very small, and the maintenance of regular prisons in the islands entails unjustifiable expense.

The Commissioners regret that the idea has been promulgated that a general change of policy was intended, and that it was in contemplation to make extensive use of Police Cells for the detention of convicted prisoners. In the opinion of the Commissioners such action would be very undesirable, and they consider that all prisoners sentenced for more than the legalised period (in most cases not over 14 days) should be removed as soon as possible to prison where they will serve their sentence, unless there is a probability of their fines being paid.

VISITING COMMITTEES.

These Committees held meetings or members visited as follows:

General Meetings

Visits

Prisons.

Borstal
Institutions.

Preventive Dentention Prisons.

At the Borstal Institutions and the Preventive Detention Department at Peterhead Prison the Visiting Boards have the

special duty of recommending for liberation those whom they consider fit. The Committees have continued to take an interest in all that pertains to the good working of these establishments.

VOLUNTARY HELP.

The Commissioners desire to record their appreciation of the voluntary work done by many ladies and gentlemen in giving lectures, concerts and other instruction, and also in conducting Sunday classes in the various prisons and institutions under their care, as detailed in the Governors' reports. During the year special mission services were conducted on consecutive nights in Barlinnie and Edinburgh Prisons by prominent clergy belonging to all the different denominations. Much interest was shown, and the Commissioners desire to thank all those who took part and assisted in various ways.

DISCHARGED PRISONERS' AID SOCIETIES.

The Commissioners are greatly indebted to these Societies for rendering assistance to prisoners after discharge.

It is of little use endeavouring while prisoners are in custody to teach them habits of industry, to improve their physique, and to attempt to increase their self-respect if immediately on liberation they are faced with a hopeless struggle to find honest employment. It is not to be wondered at if in the absence of help an ex-prisoner after a few attempts gives up the effort and once more falls back into criminal habits as the easiest way of making a living.

The Commissioners therefore desire to express their sense of the importance of the work which is done by the Aid Societies, and of the obligation resting upon the public to give them adequate support.

HABITUAL CRIMINAL REGISTRY.

On 1st January, 1926, the revised system of registration in the Scottish Criminal Register came into operation. Under the new system the Form X, which is the criminal record of a registered person, takes the form of a card containing on one side the personal description and photograph, and on the other side a complete list of convictions. Cards in respect of each registered person are issued to 106 Headquarters and Divisional Police Stations, instead of to only 11 Police Forces as formerly. Subsequent convictions of registered persons are intimated monthly, together with any other information likely to be of value, e.g. notifications of deaths. In addition to the record cards a Supplement is issued monthly, containing a reprint of the photograph of each person registered during the preceding month with a nominal index on the first page. The Supplement is issued with the object of facilitating identification and has been designed as a portable and ready means of reference.

The total number of persons in respect of whom record

cards were issued during 1926 was 948, including 29 aliens recommended for deportation under the Aliens Order, 1920. This number is composed of 880 males and 68 females. In 396 cases, including the aliens, the records added to the register were those of persons not previously included, and in the remaining 552 cases, the existing records were transferred to the new card index system. Subsequent convictions of persons added or transferred to the card index register were intimated in 225 cases, viz. 211 males and 14 females. The total number of convictions reported to Police Forces during 1926 was thus 948 plus 225, or 1,173, as compared with 1,024 in 1925. Of this number 1,091 convictions related to males and 82 to females.

It is intended to continue to transfer existing records to the new card index system as opportunity arises, and thus gradually to supersede the original form of record of each case in which criminal activities are continued.

SCOTTISH JUDICIAL STATISTICS.

During the year much attention has been given to a revision and recasting of all the tables published in the Report of the Judicial Statistics of Scotland. The matter was dealt with by a Sub-Committee of the Permanent Consultative Committee on Official Statistics, and the meetings were attended by the Chairman and the Secretary.

PRISON INDUSTRIES.

These have been carried on under great difficulty during the year (Appendix XXXVII). While the number of prisoners has not been reduced, the condition of the trade of the country has made it very difficult to get suitable employment. It will be observed that the average earnings of a prisoner employed on industries for outside customers, and these prisoners are usually the most efficient, amounted only to £20, Os. 4d. It is sometimes said that prisoners should be paid for the work they do in prison, but it will be seen from Appendix XXXIV that this sum is very little more than the actual cost of their food, clothing, fuel and light, while making no allowance for their supervision and housing.

NEW BUILDINGS. (Appendix XXXV.)

The chief work during the year has still been on the prison at Edinburgh. This, however, is rapidly nearing completion. At the end of another year very little will remain to be done. The Borstal lads employed there have done excellent work, and other prisoners during their sentence, especially miners convicted during the labour troubles, worked well and proved their efficiency.

At Polmont Institution a new block was completed and occupied on the 15th February, and building has been concentrated upon a block of Warders' Quarters which are now nearly