Making sense of the sexual sadist between the wars: the case of Harold Jones

Abstract

This article is a case study of a child killer called Harold Jones. It uses previously unseen documents to consider how the inter-war penal system of England and Wales responded to Jones's sexual sadism at the time of his murders. The article examines the contribution of two significant Prison Commissioners of that time – Alexander Paterson and Dr. W. Norwood East – who were responsible, in different ways, for many of the penal reforms that occurred during 1920s and 1930s. The article is specifically focussed on the decision to release Jones from prison in 1941 and on the different approaches of Paterson and Norwood East to understanding Jones's sexual sadism. From this analysis, we suggest lessons that can be learned when considering the release of those who have been convicted of murder. Finally, we consider whether Jones would have been released today if his case was presented to and considered by the Parole Board.

Keywords:

• sexual sadism
• Harold Jones
• W. Norwood East
• Alexander Paterson
• prison