*

Statement of the Number of Criminal Offenders committed

during the last three years; with the numbers

* The difference of numbers in this and the preceding statement, arises from the former numbers having included all commitments to prison; viz. debtors, prisoners for re-exa-. mination, summary convictions before magistrates, and vagrants, &c.

for Trial, to the several Gaols in England and Wales, Convicted, Sentenced, Acquitted, &c.

Numbers Discharged or Acquitted, Convicted, and how Sentenced.

ABERDEENSHIRE.

ABERDEEN.-County and Burgh Gaol,

January, 1830. A NEW gaol, upon an extensive and improved plan, is now in progress; and it is expected will be ready for the reception of prisoners in the course of the year. The building is of granite stone, and constructed in a very secure manner. The form of the building is quadrangular; the airing-yards are in the interior, with a turnkey's lodge in the centre, from which the division walls radiate, and the yards can be inspected. The keeper's house is on one side of the quadrangle, (facing the court-house) through which is the general entrance to the prison. The chapel is on the upper floor of the keeper's house. The gaol is arranged for six classes of prisoners, with separate day-rooms, arcades, and courts. The debtors will have four day-rooms, two airing-courts, and thirty-two sleepingrooms. The male criminals will have three day-rooms, three airing-courts, and twenty-two sleeping-rooms; and the female prisoners will have a day-room, airing-court, and six sleeping-rooms. Each court has a water-closet, pump, and sink. There are two large rooms for the separation of sick prisoners, or those under sentence of death. All the rooms will be nine feet high; and ventilated by flues in the walls.

The new gaol is contiguous to the old prison; and it is intended to use the latter as a lock-up-house, for offenders before commitment.

The greatest number of criminals at one time in the last year was
Ditto . . . . . of debtors ditto..

65

64

The debtors have for some time past been confined in the bridewell, on account of the want of accommodation in the old gaol, which is of the worst description.

ABERDEEN.-Bridewell.

THIS prison was erected in 1818. The form of it is a parallelogram, consisting of four floors. A gallery or passage runs through the building, longitudinally, and the cells are ranged on each side of the passage. Each prisoner has a separate day- or working-cell, and a night-cell opposite. The governor's apartments are on the ground floor. The chapel is on the upper floor, and likewise the infirmary. There is an airing-court round the building; but it is stated that prisoners are admitted into this court only as an indulgence. The male prisoners, after conviction, are employed in weaving; the women also weave

* It is proper to remark, that the gaoler's apartments do not overlook the airing-courts, as they would have done if the gaoler's house had been placed in the central position; and if the radiating plan had been adopted (as was recommended by the Committee of the Prison-Discipline Society), the inspection of the day-rooms might also have been

attained.

and spin, and some pick oakum. The working-cells are warmed by steam. Each sleeping-cell is furnished with a straw mattress, two sheets, two blankets, and a rug. Proper clothing is provided, and the prisoners are dieted with plain wholesome food. There is religious service once on Sunday, and the prisoners have a good supply of Bibles.

The burgh gaol at Inverury was erected about twenty years ago. It consists of two rooms, which are used only for the temporary confinement of offenders, before they are sent to the county gaol, about sixteen miles distant.

The burgh gaol at Kintore consists of one room in the town-house, which is used for the confinemeut of vagrants and criminal prisoners, prior to their commitment to the gaol at Aberdeen, which is twelve miles distant.

There are small prisons, or lock-up-houses, in the respective burghs of Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Old Aberdeen, and Old Meldrum.

ARGYLESHIRE.

INVERARAY.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830.

A NEW gaol was built about ten years ago. The criminals' prison consists of one large day-room, and eight sleeping-rooms. There is no distinction made between prisoners for trial, and those who are under sentence. The debtors gaol is a separate building; it contains five rooms, with fire-places, and apartments for the keeper. There is a large airing-court, but it is not considered secure; and prisoners are not admitted into it without a guard. The number of commitments in the year 1828 was sixty-three; and in 1829, eighty-seven. The greatest number of persons in confinement at one time was thirty-six; of these seven were debtors.

CAMPBELTOWN.—Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison consists of six rooms, four of which are on the ground floor, and two on the third floor, above the court-rooms. Three of the lower rooms are appropriated for male criminals, and the other is used for females. One of the upper rooms, about eighteen feet square, is used by the male debtors; and the other room, about seventeen feet square, is used for female debtors; but neither of these rooms is considered to be very secure. There is no airing-yard; nor any means of classification within the building :-prisoners can not only converse with each other, but also with persons in the public street. Debtors have frequently been confined with criminals; and prisoners both before and after conviction have been placed in the same apartment.

Criminal prisoners are now alimented at the rate of eight pence per day for each person. The number of commitments in 1828 was forty-one; of these seven were debtors: the greatest number in confinement at one time was seventeen; of these two were debtors.

A large proportion of the offenders confined in this gaol are from the surrounding parts of the country; this burgh being at the distance of about seventy-three miles from the town of Inveraray, where the county gaol is situate.

A lock-up-house was lately built in the isle of Mull, for the temporary confinement of offenders from the northern district of the county.

AYRSHIRE.

AYR.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830. THIS gaol was erected in 1818. It is of stone, and comprises two distinct buildings; one for debtors, and the other for criminals. Each prison has two airing-courts. The whole is surrounded by a wall about ten feet high. The debtors' gaol contains two day-rooms, about sixteen feet square, and eighteen sleeping-rooms for men; and there are three separate rooms for female debtors. The criminals' prison contains two day-rooms for men, on the ground-floor; and twenty sleeping-cells on the upper floor. The cells are each about eight feet by six feet: they are ranged on each side of a passage, which runs through the building length-ways. The female criminals have a day-room, about thirteen feet square, and three sleeping-cells. There is no distinction made between prisoners before trial and after conviction; except when condemned to death, in which case they are placed in separate cells. The keeper has a dwelling-house within the boundary-wall.

The number of criminals committed in 1829, was ninety-three males and twelve females; the number of debtors committed in the same period, was eighty-one males, and two females. The greatest number of prisoners at one time in the year, was twenty-nine criminals and nine debtors. The allowance for the daily aliment of each prisoner is four-pence half-penny.

IRVINE.—Burgh Gaol.

THIS prison is used for debtors only. It was built about 1745, and consists of two rooms, about fourteen feet by nine feet, the windows of which look into the public street or market-place. The common court-house, a room about twenty-six feet by twenty feet, is also used by the debtors, when not required for other purposes; and there is a large lobby between the two rooms first mentioned, in which the prisoners can take exercise, there being no yard nor airingground. The keeper does not reside in the prison. The number of debtors committed in 1829, was forty, including one female: the greatest number in confinement at one time, was ten.

There are also two cells (one of them in the steeple of the court-house), which are used for the temporary confinement of criminals under examination, prior to their commitment to the county gaol.

The following burghs of barony have each a separate lock-up-house :-Maybole, Girvan, Prestwick, Mauchline, Cumnock, Kilmarnock, Galston, Newmilns, Stewarton, Kilmaurs, Kilwinning, Ardrossan, Largs, and Beith. These are used only for the temporary confinement of offenders, who, when committed, are sent to the county gaol at Ayr.

BANFFSHIRE.

BANFF.-County and Burgh Gaol.

January, 1830. THE building of which this gaol forms a part, was erected in 1798. The prison consists of only four rooms: two of these are used for debtors, which are about seventeen feet by eighteen feet. The other two rooms, for the criminals, are about twelve feet by eleven feet: the latter have no fire-places. There is also