criminal law, is the sending to prison a person who hath been guilty of any crime. This takes place where the offence is not bailable, or the party cannot find bail; must be by proper warrant, containing the cause of the commitment; and continues till put an end to by the course of law (see Trial); imprisonment being intended only for safe custody, and not for punishment (see Arrestment and Bail). In this dubious interval between the commitment and trial, a prisoner ought to be used with the utmost humanity; and neither be loaded with needles fetters, nor subjected to other hardships than such as are absolutely requisite for the purpose of confinement only: though what are so requisite must too often be left to the direction of the gaolers, who are frequently a merciless race of men, and by being conversant in scenes of misery, Steeleed against any tender sensation.