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236
III. CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION Of SWEDEN.
(fully 50,000 vols, together); instruction in religion and school-subjects
and by visits in the cells by the prison officials as well as by other
voluntary visitors. Strict obedience to rules and regulations is required,
and all means for self-indulgence, as for instance tobacco and snuff,
are totally forbidden for those sentenced to penal servitude, those
held to compulsory labour, and those sentenced to prison in default of
payment of fines. Prisoners on trial and those sentenced to simple
imprisonment may procure better diet and more comfort than can
commonly be had in the prison, if they have the means and desire
to do so, and if the order and security of the prison thereby is not
endangered.
The very important question of prison labour gratuities, and measures
necessary to prevent prisoners from squandering the money so gained on their
release, have, as far as the central prisons are concerned, been satisfactorily
solved by the regulation concerning prisoners’ gratuities of Oct. 24, 1890. The
accumulated wages are deposited in the Post-Office Savings Bank and can, if
they exceed 20 kronor, be taken out only at a certain monthly rate. If the released
prisoner during this time is arrested for vagrancy or crime, he has no right of
disposal over the money and, if he is convicted and sentenced for crime or to
compulsory labour, he loses them. It is clear that this regulation to a certain
extent tends to counteract relapse into crime. The sum total deposited in the
Post-Office Savings Bank, for prisoners released in 1900, amounted at the time of their
release to 24,127 kronor. The amount forfeited the same year through relapse
was 1,336 kronor.
In order that prisoners may to some extent be able to aid those who
by their fault have become needy, and in order to make it possible for
them to keep and resume family ties, they are allowed to send part of
their gratuities to their nearest relations. The prison board may also augment
these remittances from a fund, David Carnegie’s fund, donated for the
purpose. During the year 1900, 423 prisoners sent to their relations a sum total
of 3,179 kronor, to which the prison authorities added 1,471 kronor from the
said fund.
There is a Central Society for the Aid of Released Prisoners, the Queen’s
Home, and 23 societies in the different Läns, all active in the aid and
amendment of released prisoners. From these societies, as also through prison boards
or private persons and communities, in all 1,034 prisoners received support,
in 1900, in the form of employment or work procured, clothing, tools, travelling
expenses, and so forth.
The total average expenditures per annum for the prisons of the
kingdom (maintenance of buildings, but not erections of new
prisons-included) have averaged 1,766,044 kronor during the period 1891/1)5, and
1,733,840 kronor during the years 1896/1900. The cost of daily rations
for each prisoner was during the same periods 28’so and 30-8o öre re
spectively. In 1900, the total amount of costs was 1,801,992 kronor
and the cost of the daily rations 33-os öre, namely 30"o i ore at th<
central prisons and penal workhouses, and 35-59 at the Län prison;
and State jails. (A krona à 100 öre = l-io shilling or 0-268 dollar)
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