An account of the present state of the prisons, houses of correction, and hospitals in London and Westminster : taken from a late publication of John Howard ... by permission of the author : to which is prefixed, an introduction, stating the Acts lately passed for improving the prisons in this kingdom, the good effects which have resulted from those Acts, where they have been carried into execution, the abuses, which still continue where they have been neglected and the means by which those abuses may most effectually be corrected.

  • Howard, John, 1726-1790.
Date:
[1789]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the present state of the prisons, houses of correction, and hospitals in London and Westminster : taken from a late publication of John Howard ... by permission of the author : to which is prefixed, an introduction, stating the Acts lately passed for improving the prisons in this kingdom, the good effects which have resulted from those Acts, where they have been carried into execution, the abuses, which still continue where they have been neglected and the means by which those abuses may most effectually be corrected. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    fined in them ; to witnefies, to jurymen, and everl 'to Judges bn the bench.* The morals of prifoners were at this time as ' much neglected as their health. Idlenefs, drun- kennefs, and all kinds of vice, were fuffered to continue in fuch a manner as to confirm old of- fenders *in their bad practices, and to render it almoft certain, that the minds of thofe who were confined for their firft faults, would be corrupted, inftead of behig corredled, by their imprifon- ment. In this fituation, it is probable, the gaols in this Illand would ftill have continued, if the atten- ^ tion of the Public had not been called to the fiib- jed; by the labours of Mr. Howard. The true ftate of the prifons was made known by that gen- tleman, and the means were pointed out by which they might be improved. In confequence of the information which was thus obtained, the fubjecl was confidered by the y. * At the aflize held in Oxford Caftle, 1577, all who were prefent died within forty hours. The Lord Chief Baron, the Sheriff, and about 300 more. ^ Vide Baker's Chronkle, page 353, Lcgif-