Britain: An official handbook > 1966

IOO
Privileges and
Discipline
Training
Employment
BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
associate with them, are classified as the Star Class and are separated from
other prisoners (the Ordinary Class).
Prisons are classified as general local, special local, regional training, and
central. All convicted prisoners are first received at the general local prison for
the area, where they are assessed and, in appropriate cases, transferred to
another class of prison. The function of the central prisons is to accommodate
all prisoners serving long sentences (a long sentence being defined as over
four years for most classes of men prisoners and over three years for women).
The function of regional training prisons is to accommodate selected prisoners
whose sentence is not long enough to qualify them for a central prison but is
long enough (twelve months’ minimum) for a comprehensive course of
training, and who are judged likely to benefit from such a course; all prisoners
sentenced to corrective training are sent to regional training prisons. The
function of the special local prisons is to relieve overcrowding by accepting
from general local prisons convicted prisoners of any class who are not
eligible for transfer to a regional training prison or a central prison. All
general local prisons are closed; all other classes of prison include open as
well as closed prisons.
On reception under sentence, all prisoners, except those sentenced to im¬
prisonment for life, are credited with remission of one-third of their sentence
(one-fourth in Northern Ireland in respect of sentences of less than two
years), provided that this does not reduce their sentence below 31 days (in
Scotland, 30 days). A life prisoner may be released on licence by the Home
Secretary or, in Scotland, by the Secretary of State (see p. 98). All prisoners
become entitled to certain personal privileges at successive stages in their
sentence.
For breaches of discipline in prison, the prison governor, the visiting
committee or the board of visitors have power to order, among other penalties,
forfeiture of remission (postponement of eligibility for release) and forfeiture
of privileges.
In prison training, efforts are being made to provide (1) work of a kind likely
to help fit prisoners to earn their living after release, with technical training
in skilled trades for certain persons, (2) suitable educational facilities, and
(3) opportunities for the development of a sense of personal responsibility,
including (for suitable prisoners) training in open conditions.
New problems in the organisation and management of industries in prisons
have arisen as the result of changes that have taken place both in industrial
methods and in the prison system during the past thirty years, and because
of the substantial increase in the number of prison inmates for whom employ¬
ment must be found. The whole subject is therefore being studied by a
standing Advisory Council on the Employment of Prisoners, appointed by
the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Council
has so far made three reports: the first deals with suitable kinds of work,
job training and earnings for prisoners; the second with the employment and
industrial training of borstal inmates; and the third with the organisation of
prison industries.
Except in local prisons in England and Wales, where the hours are shorter,
most prisoners spend about 40 hours a week in the prison workshops or in
other employment such as building, farm work, domestic work and gardening
in the prison precincts. A few prisoners are employed outside the prisons