care of the Society is made at the office once a month, either by the
man or woman in person, or by one of the visiting agents or
correspondents of the committee of management; and that, though the
police are forbidden to interfere with them, except on strong suspicion
that they are about to commit a crime, the most accurate and careful
record of their mode of life and conduct is kept at the offices of the
Society. Should they fail to observe the regulations which the Society
demands, they are liable to police surveillance instead of friendly,
encouraging, and confidential visitation; and it needs scarcely be said
that this liability is often of itself sufficient to make them desire to
retain the aid and protection which has been extended to them.
From a long and tolerably intimate observation of the lower strata of
the London population, and of the results of various methods adopted to
check the progress of crime, I am convinced that what is called police
surveillance, as it is conducted in this country, is altogether
mischievous in relation to any probable reformation of the offender.
Even if it be denied (as it has been) that it is a practice of
police-constables to give to persons employing a discharged prisoner,
information conveyed in such a way as to lead to the loss of employment
and despair of obtaining an honest living, it is quite certain that the
constant dread of being branded as a returned felon, and the hopeless
dogged temper which such a condition produces, must be enormous
obstacles to true reclamation. The man who could really surmount them
must, whatever may have been his casual crime, be possessed of a hardy
and indomitable desire for virtue which should challenge our profound
respect.
But, apart from what may be called legitimate surveillance of convicts
by the police, it is unfortunately notorious that members of "the
force," who occupy positions as detectives, or "active and intelligent
officers," employ agents of their own to bring them information, and
that these agents, being men of bad character--frequently thieves--are
interested for their own safety's sake in providing "charges," or
"putting up cases," by conveying information of suspected persons. This
is according to the old evil traditions that have descended to
constables from the time of Jonathan Wild, and probably earlier; but it
is obvious that where such nefarious tools are employed for obtaining
evidence which will suffice to sustain a charge and convict a prisoner,
there is constant danger to those who, having been once sentenced for
crime, are not only peculiarly liable to be drawn into fresh offences,
but are, from their position, easily made the victims of cunningly-laid
traps for their re-arrest, on a suspicion that is readily endorsed,
because of their previous conviction and the knowledge of all their
antecedents.
It is the removal of discharged prisoners from this probability, and
from the kind of interposition that forbids their return to the paths of
honesty, and so actually produces "a criminal class," that is, in my
opinion, the best distinction of a Society like this.
Some of the volumes of interesting records which are preserved here
would probably doubtless confirm this view. Let us refer to one only,
where a nobleman residing in London had engaged a butler who went to him
with a very excellent character, and in whom he had the greatest
confidence. Happening to have occasion to employ a detective constable
on some business, his lordship was dismayed at receiving from that
astute officer the intelligence that his trusted servant had once been
sentenced to five years' penal servitude for some dishonest act, but had
been liberated on a ticket-of-leave. Puzzled how to proceed, the
nobleman had the good sense to apply for advice to this Society, where
it was discovered that the representation of the detective was true
enough, and that the man had been recommended to a situation by the
Society itself, an intimation of his antecedents being given to the
employer. In that situation he had remained for several months, without
the least fault being brought against him, and he then applied for and
obtained the vacant and more lucrative appointment in the family of his
lordship, who, though he acknowledged he should not have engaged him had
he known of his previous fault and its punishment, kept his secret, and
retained him in his service, where he remained at the time of the last
report, respected by the household, and faithfully fulfilling his
duties.
Probably this was one of those cases where, yielding to sudden
temptation, a man incurs for a single crime punishment that awakens
moral resolution; and it must be remembered that there are many convicts
who, while in prison they are practically undistinguished from the
habitual or the repeated criminal, or from the convict of brutalised,
undeveloped, or feeble moral nature, are in danger of being utterly
ruined because of a single and perhaps altogether unpremeditated
offence, of which they may bitterly repent. The feeling of shame, of
humiliation, of doubt as to any but a cold and deterrent reception by
former friends, the dread of scorn, derision, or abhorrence, may lead
such men or women to abandon as hopeless any expectation of resuming
their former avocations, or even of once more attaining a respectable
position. To such as these the Society offers such aid as may keep them
from the despondency that destroys; and in every case, even in that of
the wretch who has been convicted again and again, it holds out some
hope of reformation. That there is some such hope may be learned from
the fact, that even thieves--"habitual criminals"--do not, as a rule,
bring their own children up to dishonesty, and are often careful to
conceal from them the means by which they live. The ranks of crime are
not so largely augmented from the children of dishonest parents (though,
of course, evil example bears its dreadful results) as from the
neglected children of our great towns.
But let us see what are the means adopted by the Society for helping
discharged prisoners. Of course the procedure must begin with the
prisoners themselves, in so far that they must express their willingness
to accept the aid offered to them, and make known their decision to the
governor of the prison where they are confined, and where the rules and
provisions of the Society are displayed and explained.
This refers to the convict prisons, since only these are eligible, the
prisoners from county gaols being assisted by other organisations;
therefore, discharged convicts from Millbank, Pentonville, Portland,
Portsmouth, Chatham, Parkhurst, Dartmoor, Woking, and Brixton, are able
to seek help; and it is gratifying to know that, according to the prison
returns, of 1,579 male prisoners discharged from these places in one
year, 796 sought aid from this and local provincial societies having the
same object, the number of applicants to the London Society being 524,
or nearly two-thirds of the whole.
On any convict, male or female, accepting the offer of the Society, and
making that decision known to the governor of the prison, the latter
forwards to this office at Charing Cross a printed document, or
recommendation, stating full particulars of the prisoner's age, date of
conviction, number of previous convictions (if any), degree of
education, religion, former trade or employment, ability to perform
labour, and general character while in prison, together with the amount
of good-conduct money which is to be allowed for work performed during
the period of incarceration. This good-conduct money may amount to a
maximum sum of £3, and the Society takes charge of it for the benefit of
the prisoner, disbursing it only as it may be required, and
supplementing it, when necessary, by a further grant of money, or even
by advances or loans as may be deemed desirable in certain cases.
These reports from the prison governor reach the office about six weeks
before the discharge of the convicts named in them, and following them
come other papers, each of which contains a graphic personal description
of the prisoner referred to, and a fairly-executed photograph, which is
usually not without certain striking characteristics, though you will be
surprised to find how often you fail to discover the lineaments which
you have associated in fancy with lawlessness and crime. At the time of
their discharge, the men and women are conducted hither by a
plainly-clothed messenger from the prison, appointed for the purpose,
and take their places in yonder back room, where they are immediately
identified by means of the descriptions and photographs, and are then
questioned as to their capabilities and the particular employment in
which they desire to engage. It is manifestly impossible that the
Society can provide them with employment in the particular trades which
they may previously have followed, since there may be no openings in
those industries, or they may be such as would be obviously unsuitable
for persons who are still on probation.
Should the prisoner have friends or relatives able and willing to
receive or assist him, they are communicated with, but should he be
entirely dependent on personal exertion, the agent or secretary at once
procures for him a decent outfit of clothes, and a lodging as far as
possible from the scene of his former companions. A small sum of money
is advanced for immediate subsistence, and he usually has employment
provided for him, either in a situation, at manual labour, or by being
set up in a small way at shoemaking, tailoring, or carpentering, either
as journeyman, or, where possible, on his own account.
From six to twenty prisoners at a time are discharged from one or other
of the convict establishments and brought to the Society's offices, and
of the younger men a considerable proportion are assisted to go to sea,
others--but, alas! too few--to emigrate, while a number obtain work as
builders and contractors' labourers; and others again resume former
occupations, as potmen, waiters, or employés in various situations,
where the masters are always (if they take them on the recommendation of
the Society) fully apprised of their position. A good many are set up
again as costermongers, and in that case the agent of the Society
quietly accompanies them to market, and advances the money for their
first purchases; others go into the country and obtain work, and not a
few of the better-educated or more skilled soon obtain engagements of
various kinds, by personal application, and without reference to the
Society, though they continue to report themselves, and to be kept in
view by the agents, and, being separated from evil companionship, and
feeling that they are not altogether friendless, retrieve their position
and regain an honourable reputation.
Of 514 men and women who were received by the Society during the year,
180 obtained employment in London and are doing well; 156 were sent to
places beyond the metropolitan district, and were placed under the
supervision of the local police; 32 were sent to relatives and friends
abroad; 57 obtained berths on board ship; 50 had failed to report and
notify their change of address as required by Act of Parliament; 23 had
been re-convicted; 6 were not satisfactorily reported on; one had died;
and 9, who had been recently discharged at the end of the year, were
waiting for employment at the time of the Report. To read the Report
Book, recording the visits of the agents or secretary to men employed in
various avocations, and to their friends or relatives, is very
encouraging, for it shows that of a large proportion, say seventy per
cent., there is a good hope of reclamation by their long continuance in
industrious efforts to retain their situations and to work honestly in
various callings; while the reports of country cases by clergymen in the
provinces is equally satisfactory, especially as they frequently record
the return of the former convict to his family and friends, amidst whom
he earns an honourable subsistence.
The female convicts, who are also received at the office, are, if they
cannot be sent to relatives and friends, mostly taken to a Refuge, which
has been established by the Society at Streatham, where they find a home
until situations can be obtained for them; and it is to the credit of
some earnest ladies who are willing to engage these discharged prisoners
as domestic servants that the result is often most favourable. A very
large proportion of the women return to friends, however. Of 53 who left
the Refuge at Streatham last year, 30 were received by friends, 18
obtained situations, 3 returned to Millbank Penitentiary, 1 emigrated,
and 1 died, 25 remaining at the Refuge at the time of the report.
In the case of these discharged female prisoners, as well as for the
sake of those men who would eagerly seize an opportunity of beginning
life anew in a new country, it would be most desirable if greater
facilities existed for promoting and assisting the emigration of such as
gave satisfactory evidence of reformation of character. The Society
finds its own funds, supported by contributions from the public, barely
sufficient to maintain, and insufficient largely to extend its useful
work. One of the committee, a resident in Canada, has rendered
invaluable assistance to emigrants recommended to his notice by the
Society. The governor of Dartmoor Prison in his Report, says:--
"I cannot too strongly again express my conviction that an emigration
scheme connected with the Aid Societies would be an invaluable aid to
the restoration of many casual criminals to a position of respectability
and honesty. It would be especially appreciated by those (unfortunately
a too numerous class) who had incurred the shorter sentences of penal
servitude as punishments for breaches of trust of various kinds. These
men are often cast off by their respectable friends, and, from the
shortness of their sentences, are unable to earn the additional
gratuity. With no lasting means of subsistence, and an overstocked
market for their labour, it is not to be wondered at if such men
speedily add a second conviction to their criminal career." Let us trust
that practical steps will be taken to remove this difficulty.
THE END.
BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, SURREY.
_January, 1876._
AN ALPHABETICAL LIST
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