Imprisonment in the second division

[hookleg]

I have come across a sentence handed down to someone I researched. It said the prisoner was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in the second division (Date about late 1920s) Can anyone tell me how this differed from a standard prison sentence. Thanks

[mckha489]

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1923/jul/19/prison-treatment-second-division

[hookleg]

Hi, Thanks I had read this:-

 "Second division prisoners are kept apart, as far as possible, from other classes of prisoners. They receive more frequent letters and visits and they wear clothes of a different colour."

 However,I was wondering what the conditions and restrictions would have been like. For example were they expected to do more or less labouring?

The question " Is it a fact that the prisoners in the second division are allowed to have their food sent in on payment? " seems to have been avoided.

Were they given prison rations or was their food only sent in by a friend/relative.

[mckha489]

“As regards food and work “ he added “he is in a very different position from those who are in hard labour. The real distinction is that he does not associate with people who have been convicted before; that is to say having no previous convictions himself  he does not run the risk of being tainted by those who have been convicted before “


Source

SECOND DIVISION PRISONERS
 HOME SECRETARY AND THEIR TREATMENT . The following statement has been issued by tht Home Office : — As there appears Jo bo somo misapprehension aE to how prisoners sobtenccd to the Second Division are treated , the Home Secretary
24 March 1922 - The Scotsman - Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

[mckha489]

It seems the suffragettes were imprisoned in the second division

[mckha489]

There is a page about it in the Sketch of March 22 1922
Which is very detailed and explains a lot.

[mckha489]

Sample clip from the Sketch article.

[hookleg]

Thanks for all that work Mckha489. I was certainly confused by the  "Second division prisoners are kept apart, as far as possible, from other classes of prisoners. They receive more frequent letters and visits and they wear clothes of a different colour" quote.
I had presumed that Second Division was a more severe punishment as seen in articles about the condition of Suffragettes in second condition cells in comparison to others.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ZPER34-134-8.jpg

The article from The Sketch definitely confirms my original thoughts. So thanks for that. My original case was for bigamy.

[Steve G]

" Can employ help to clean his cell. "  Jesus wept!!!