Prison Act 1877
{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
|short_title = Prison Act 1877{{efn|Section 1.}}
|type = Act
|parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom
|long_title = An Act to amend the Law relating to Prisons in England.
|year = 1877
|statute_book_chapter = 40 & 41 Vict. c. 21
|territorial_extent = England and Wales{{efn|Section 3.}}
|royal_assent = 12 July 1877
|commencement = 1 April 1878{{efn|Section 2.}}
|repeal_date = 1 October 1952
|amends = Prison Act 1865
|amendments = {{ubli|Statute Law Revision Act 1883|Sheriffs Act 1887|Coroners Act 1887}}
|related_legislation =
|repealing_legislation= Prison Act 1952
|status = Repealed
|original_text = https://books.google.ie/books?id=o8EDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA149
}}
The Prison Act 1877 (40 & 41 Vict. c. 21) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that aimed to alter the way in which British prisons were operated.
Detail
By the 19th century, concerns had been raised about the uncoordinated and incoherent nature of the prison system in Britain. Many gaols were operated by local authorities, to a varying degree of quality. The Prison Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. 126 had increased central controls over these prisons, but local practices continued to vary widely.
In 1877, Parliament took the major step of enacting a long-standing proposal to centralise the running of British prisons.
The Home Secretary was given powers over the new structure, which was delegated in the act to the new Board of Prison Commissioners, supported by an inspectorate and central staff. Further legislation was not felt necessary until 1895.{{efn|Prison Act 1898}}Fox, pp.47-8.
Provisions
= Short title, commencement and extent =
Legacy
The whole act was repealed by section 54(2) of, and part I of the fourth schedule to, the Prison Act 1952 (15 & 16 Geo. 6 & 1 Eliz. 2. c. 52).
See also
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- Anderson, Robert. The Prison Acts of 1877 and 1865. London. 1878. [https://books.google.com/books?id=z6UaGJ4YQtsC&pg=PA6 Catalogue].
- Fox, Lionel. (2001) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Bl6Tk5ysFQwC The English Prison and Borstal Systems: an account of the prison and Borstal systems.] London: Routledge. {{ISBN|978-0-415-17738-2}}.
- Wilkinson, Robert. The Law of Prisons in England and Wales, being the Prison Act, 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. 126), and the Prison Act, 1877 (40 & 41 Vict. c. 21). Knight & Co. Fleet Street, London. 1878. [https://books.google.com/books?id=o8EDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR1 Google Books] [https://archive.org/details/lawofprisonsinen00wilk Internet Archive].
{{UK legislation}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1877
Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning England and Wales
Category:Repealed United Kingdom Acts of Parliament