OF

THE PRISON COMMISSIONERS

FOR SCOTLAND

for the Year 1926

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOHN GILMOUR, BARONET, D.S.O., M.P.,

HIS MAJESTY'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND

Presented to Parliament by Command of His Majesty.

EDINBURGH:

PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE

To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses: 120 George Street, Edinburgh; Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C. 2; York Street, Manchester; 1 St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff;

15 Donegall Square West, Belfast;

or through any Bookseller.

1927.

Price 2s. Net.

Cmd. 2873.

CONTENTS.

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1926.

APPENDIX.

I. Accommodation in Prisons, &c.; also average daily num-
ber of prisoners, &c. .

PAGE

17

II. Diagram showing (1) the numbers of ordinary prisoners
in custody each week in 1926, and (2) 1925, (3) the
average numbers each week for the ten years ended
December 1925, and (4) the numbers of poor receiving
relief in 1926, together with a general statement of
the weather in 1926.

III. Average daily number of prisoners, &c., since 1897
IV. Commitments to prisons, &c., since 1897

19

20

21

V. Receptions and disposal of prisoners, and nature of
sentences of convicted prisoners

22

VI. Diagram showing the yearly number of committals and
the population of Scotland since 1900
VII. Diagram showing the average daily numbers of ordinary
prisoners and of convicts since 1900, and of Borstal
inmates since 1912 .

24

VIII. Numbers of first offenders and of prisoners with previous imprisonments

33

34

XI. Convicts-sentences by Criminal Courts since 1912 XII. Convicts at end of year-sentences, ages and crimes XIII. Previous occupations of convicted prisoners and convicts. 35 XIV. Lengths and numbers of sentences of convicted prisoners XV. Juvenile offenders ordered to be whipped.

XVI. Sex, age, religious persuasions and nationalities of convicted prisoners, Borstal inmates and criminal lunatics 36

XVII. Borstal Institutions, numbers of inmates.
XVIII. Borstal Institutions, offences, periods of detention, previous
convictions and ages of inmates.

XIX. Lunatic Department, inmates confined.

XX. Lunatic Department, crimes or offences of inmates in custody at end of year, with periods of detention therein 38

XXI. Lunatic Department, inmates admitted
XXII. Lunatic Department, inmates discharged
XXIII. Preventive Detention, persons sentenced, receptions, &c.
XXIV. Civil prisoners

XXV. Number of officers in each prison, &c., at end of year
XXVI. Medical Adviser's report on health of prison population
XXVII. Transfers to Hospitals by order of a Sheriff
XXVIII. Insane prisoners, &c., dealt with.

XXIX. Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1913,
prisoners certified

PAGE

39

40

41

42

42

43

46

48

XXX. Employment of prisoners, &c. and value of their earnings
XXXI. Rules, &c. issued by Secretary of State .
XXXII. Accounts of the Department for the year
XXXIII. Classification of the expenditure in prisons, and average
annual expenditure for preceding five years

50

51

53

55

XXXIV. Average annual cost per head under several branches of

expenditure

XXXV. Buildings executed or in progress.

XXXVI. Reports by the superior officers of each Prison

XXXVII. Prison Industries, Report by Superintendent of Stores
XXXVIII. Edinburgh "Borstal" Section, Report by Governor.
XXXIX. Edinburgh "Juvenile-Adult" Section, Report by Governor 74
XL. Continuation Classes at Edinburgh-Headmaster's Report 75
XLI. Barlinnie "Borstal" Section, Report by Governor
XLII. Barlinnie "Juvenile-Adult" Section, Report by Governor
XLIII. Continuation Classes at Barlinnie, Headmaster's Report
XLIV. Polmont Institution, Report by Governor
XLV. Polmont Institution, Report by Schoolmaster.

XLVI. Duke Street "Borstal" Section, Report by Governor XLVII. Greenock "Borstal" Section, Report by Governor. XLVIII. Jessiefield Institution, Report by Governor

XLIX. Superintendent of Licenceholders' Report

80

82

L. Lunatic Department, Report by Medical Superintendent 87

LI. Lunatic Department, Reports by Commissioners of the
General Board of Control on visits

LII. Short histories of 15 male and 15 female prisoners.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

PRISON COMMISSIONERS FOR SCOTLAND

FOR THE YEAR 1926.

ΤΟ

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOHN GILMOUR, BARONET, D.S.O., M.P.,

SIR,

His Majesty's Secretary of State for Scotland.

11 RUTLAND SQUARE, EDINBURGH, 9th May 1927.

We have the honour to submit the Annual Report for the year 1926 on Prisons-on Institutions under the Prevention of Crime Act, 1908 on the Department for Criminal Lunaticson the Registration of Habitual Criminals-and on Probation in Scotland.

So far as prison administration has been concerned the year has been uneventful. No changes of any importance have occurred, and the ordinary routine has been carried on successfully.

NUMBERS IN CUSTODY.

These numbers showed a progressive decline from 1923 to 1925, but the numbers committed to Prison last year show an increase the total number of commitments having been 17,690 as compared with 15,802 in 1925. Excluding convicts from Northern Ireland, of whom there were only two last year, the daily average was 1,779 as compared with 1,656. A considerable proportion of this increase in the number of commitments was doubtless due to the unfortunate labour troubles which occurred during the year. Some of the offences for which persons were committed to prison were directly traceable to these troubles. The total number of prisoners received for offences arising out of the Coal Dispute was 661; of these 377 were re-admitted to prison after conviction, thus increasing the daily average number over the whole year to the extent of 73. The commitments for crimes against public order numbered 486, and doubtless various other crimes and offences were connected more or less directly with the disturbed and unsettled state of the country during the greater part of the year. It would,