A REPLY TO DR. TEETERS ' ARTICLE ON THE PRISON SYSTEMS OF ENGLAND

Dr. Gibbens is an English psychiatrist who is studying forensic psychiatry in the United States under the auspices of the Nuffield Foundation. He has worked in several American prisons and during a recent tour visited a representative sample of our best institutions. He is attached to the Institute of Psychiatry of London University and is not connected in any way with the English prison service.-EDrroRa I am very much indebted to Dr. Teeters for the opportunity to com-ment on his description of the English penal system. Some comment is needed; although I entirely agree with nearly all his criticisms on points of detail, his sweeping condemnation of the administration and of its policy and philosophy does us very far from justice. He found apparently very little to praise, let alone any lessons to learn. There would be little value in reciting a list of the worst features which can be found in American prisons, the chain gangs and the like, although I was invited to do so. The American Prison Association does this fa