LITTLEDEAN.

County House of Correction.

Jan. 1824.

THIS prison contains four divisions or classes, each of which has a day-room and yard: there are 10 working-cells, and 24 sleeping-cells, with separate rooms for males and females when sick. The number of prisoners in general is but small, the greatest number at one time being 15. The whole number of commitments, during the last year, was 88.

The only employment consists in whitewashing the prison, and keeping the rooms and yards clean.

After the first month's confinement, in addition to one pound and a half of bread per day, each prisoner is allowed one quart of oatmeal gruel, and one pound of potatoes with salt: the weekly cost of food is 2s. 7d. per head. The allowance of clothing is the same as at Horsley.

The duties of the chaplain are similar to those performed at Northleach. The officers consist of a governor, matron, and turnkey.

Only two prisoners were re-committed in the last year.

THERE has not been any alteration in this prison since the former report of its condition (in 1822.) The jurisdiction is limited, and the prisoners committed for offences are few in number. From their short residence it is not possible to form any calculation of the effect produced by the discipline. Many offenders are from other manufacturing districts, and many are travellers, or inhabitants of parishes in the neighbourhood.

Irons are used for convicted felons, and persons committed for trial on charges of felony: repeated attempts have been made to escape.

A hand-mill for grinding corn, &c. will be introduced: a tread-mill would be useless, there being seldom convicted prisoners enough to work even a small one.

HAMPSHIRE.

WINCHESTER.

County Gaol.

May 1824. THE following classification of the prisoners has been settled by the court of quarter sessions, subsequent to the passing of the new Act :

1. Debtors, and persons confined for contempt of court, on civil process.

2. Prisoners committed on charge or suspicion of felony, to be tried at the assizes or sessions.

3. Prisoners committed on charge or suspicion of misdemeanor, or for want of sureties.

4. Prisoners convicted upon summary information before magistrates, and committed for non-payment of fines and penalties under such convictions, and not subject to hard labour.

5. Prisoners convicted of capital offences, previous to the execution of their sentence.

6. Prisoners committed for the purpose of being examined as witnesses, on behalf of the crown.

No alterations have been made in the construction of this gaol since the last Report; the magistrates having postponed the final arrangements until after the present session of parliament.

The total number of prisoners, exclusive of debtors, committed in the year 1823, was 130; and the greatest number in confinement at one time was 116.

WINCHESTER.

County House of Correction.

May 1824. SINCE the passing of the new Act, the court of quarter sessions have determined that this prison shall be appropriated to the reception and confinement of the following classes of offenders:

1. Prisoners convicted of felony.

2. Prisoners convicted of misdemeanors.

3. Vagrants.

4. Persons convicted upon summary informations before magistrates, and committed to hard labour.

The two additional wards, inentioned in the last Report as in

progress, are now completed, and will soon be occupied by female prisoners. At the last quarter sessions, the visiting justices reported that they found it impossible to comply with all the enactments of the late Act, without further alterations being made; and the Report was ordered to be taken into consideration at the next sessions.

The two tread-mills and two capstan-mills, have been in constant operation during the last year: fe:nales are never employed at either of them. No accident has occurred, nor has the health of the prisoners been at all affected by this species of labour.

The total number of prisoners committed during the last year was 555, and the greatest number confined at one period was 171.

THIS small prison, which is of modern erection, contains accommodation for only two classes of prisoners, and only two sleeping-rooms. The number of persons in confinement is in general but few.

It is satisfactory to state, that at the midsummer sessions for the county, recently held, an application was made by the corporation, for the purpose of forming an arrangement with the magistrates, for the confinement in the county prisons of persons committed by the local jurisdiction; the expense, as at present, being defrayed from the city rates. The subject was referred to the consideration of the visiting justices, who are to make a Report thereon at the next sessions.

GOSPORT.

County Bridewell.

May 1824.

THERE has been no alteration in the construction of this prison within the last twelve months. There are four airingyards, but no sick-ward, or infirmary. There are 29 sleepingcells, each about 7 feet by 5 feet 6 inches.

The prisoners are to be divided into the following classes, agreeably to the directions of the magistrates since the passing of the new Act.

1. Prisoners committed on charge or suspicion of felony. 2. Prisoners committed on charge or suspicion of inisdemeanors.

3. Vagrants.

4. Prisoners convicted of felony.

5. Prisoners convicted of misdemeanors.

A chaplain preaches a sermon once on Sundays, and reads prayers on the Sunday afternoon, and also once in the course of the week: on other days, prayers are read by the keeper or some other person.

The prisoners have occasionally been employed in grinding wheat and barley, but very little work of this kind has been performed. The quantity ground has been small, which is attributed to the uncertainty there is as to the time when the work can be done, owing to the fluctuating number of prisoners capable of being employed. The profits of the small quantity of corn ground, have been given to those prisoners who behaved well, to assist them on their discharge.

The mill is worked by a capstan. It requires 16 men to work it effectually, but it may be worked by 11. An alteration is now making in the machinery, by adding pumps to it, in order that any number of prisoners may be set to work at the capstan ; and though nothing is grinding at the mill, yet they will be obliged to labour, more or less, according to the manner in which the machinery may be regulated.

The mill cost £120; but although it has been set up several years, it has been so little used, that nothing can be said of its effects in the way of discipline: this consideration appears to have suggested the alteration.

Irons are not used, excepting occasionally for additional punishment.

The number of prisoners committed in the last two or three years, has been from about 300 to 370 or 380. The number of re-committals is about 5 per cent.

Female prisoners are under the care of a matron, (the wife of the keeper), and one turnkey is the only inferior officer of the prison.

ODIHAM.

County Bridewell.

Ar the Michaelmas adjourned quarter sessions, held October 1823, this prison was ordered to be discontinued as a county bridewell, or house of correction.

PORTSMOUTH.

Borough Gaol and House of Correction.

May 1824. PRELIMINARY measures have been adopted to carry the provisions of the late Act, as to classification, into execution; but no alterations in the construction of this prison have been yet made. The attention of the grand jury having been called to the subject, they have presented the gaol as inadequate to the classification required, and notice has been given that their presentment would be taken into consideration; but on account of the bill which has been introduced into parliament, for the amendment of the Gaol Act, further measures have been deferred.

This prison comprises a common gaol, a prison for debtors, and a house of correction. It was built about the year 1806, at the expense of the inhabitants of the borough, and, together with the sessions-house and offices, cost about £12,000, which was raised by rate, and which has been but very recently paid off. The prison is erected on an area of about 12,540 square feet, of which 7710 feet are occupied by the buildings, and the rest by four open yards. It is bounded on two sides by public streets.

The gaol contains, on the ground-floor, 20 cells, and on the floor above, 18 cells; besides two hospital-rooms, one for the males, and the other for the females. Some of the cells being larger than the others, are adapted for more than one prisoner, so that the 38 cells may lodge as many as 52 persons. The greatest number of prisoners at one time, during the year, amounted to 64, the average number being about 45.

The prison consists of four divisions, which are appropriated to the following classes :

1. One yard and day-room, for male convicted felons, vagrants, and persons committed on charge of felony.

2. Another yard and day-room, for the same classes of females. 3. Another yard, for convicted male misdemeanants, and persong committed on charge of misdemeanors, and debtors; having two day-rooms, connected with the yard, one appropriated to the misdemeanants, and the other to the debtors.

4. Another yard, for the same classes of females.

A matron has been appointed, and the prison, as far as is practicable, without making alterations in the building and yards, has been put under the regulations of the Act. The ap