Annual Report of the Prison Commissioners 1909

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Text

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Archive extract

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A recognised defect in many prisons is the small size of the windows, and the inadequate means of opening any portion of them when any means exist. The cost of the wholesale enlargement of such windows would be prohibitive, owing to the thickness of the walls, and the necessity for adequate security by means of guard bars or window frames of special metal and design, but improvements are being effected gradually by the introduction of clear glass, and by fixing sliding panes (under control of the prisoners) by which direct access to the outer air is obtained, and considerable progress is being made in their provision.

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Why have we collected this work?

We want to understand what these prisons are like to live and work in, and how has this changed over time. We are examining the ways that these prison buildings carry traces of the past, while operating in the present day.

The project considers how and why these buildings have survived for so long, and asks how we will know when they have reached the end of their operational lives. We consider the significance of the Victorian prison in shaping public and professional ideas of what prison should be like. Crucially, this project explores the implications of the continued operation of Victorian-era prisons for the contemporary prison service, and aims to inform policy development.

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