Prisons and the Mentally Defective

Deficiency Act. Under Section 9 of the Act, 23 persons found to be mentally defective were removed from prison to Certified Institutions. In the years 1924-27, the average annual number of prisoners certified as M.D. was 257; in the years 1928-34, the annual average was 251; the amended definitions in the M.D. Act of 1927 appear therefore to have little practical effect, so far as this particular problem is concerned. With regard to offenders certifiable under the Lunacy Acts during 1934, 112 were certified in local prisons, and 260 remand prisoners were found to be insane and dealt with by the Courts. In additon, there were 25 offenders found by juries to be insane on arraignment, and 28 found guilty but insane. Two thousand, five hundred and ninety-six people coming before the Courts were remainded to prison for observation and reports on their mental condition, and the Commissioners observe with satisfaction that the practice of sentencing a prisoner known to be insane or mentally defective and asking for a report only after conviction or at the termination of the sentence, is becoming less frequent. It is regretted, however, " that Courts of Summary Jurisdiction too often still fail to provide the Medical Officer with information