HC Deb 24 February 1908 vol 184 cc1369-70
Mr. SWIFT MACNBILL

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that prisoners, on the expiration of their terms of imprisonment in Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, are not liberated at the gate of the prison, but are conveyed in company in corporation trams from Barlinnie to Cathedral Square, Glasgow, in charge of warders, and there liberated in view of a curious crowd of men, women, and children; whether prison officials have any legal control over prisoners when they leave the precincts of the prison on the day of their discharge; whether he will consider the advisability of securing the immediate liberation of prisoners on leaving the prison and giving them, if need be, their fare or a token by which they could travel free by tram to any quarter of Glasgow to which they desired to go; and whether, having regard to the demoralising effect on the prisoners, who, whether old offenders, first offenders, or juveniles, are herded together in the slaughtered in the public slaughterhouses are as follows—

same tramcar, and on the public by the continuance of the present system of gaol discharge, steps will be taken for its discontinuance.

MR. SINCLAIR

Prisoners on leaving Barlinnie Prison are free, but arrange ments have been made whereby they are taken into Glasgow by special tramway cars. The prisoners leave the car in an open part of Cathedral Square, not far from the other Glasgow prison, and near the Discharged Prisoners Aid Society's offices. A warder accompanies the prisoners on the journey, but they are not in his charge. This arrangement was come to in order to meet other complaints in which objections were made to the course suggested by the hon. Member. The prisoners when in the special tram-car are seated so far as circumstances allow so as to separate first offenders and juveniles from habitual offenders. The journey lasts for only twelve minutes but the warder is there, and the agent of the Discharged Prisoners Aid Society joins the car on its way to meet the men who need help. The prisoners have some friends meeting them but the number could not be called a crowd.