Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-05-23

Character-ihe Questions oil Ignorance
and Crime Considered.
Chicago Record.
The statistics gathered by the last
census concerning illiteracy are very
complete and interesting, but the study
of crime was confined to criminals APP
pretended and imprisoned in peni-
tentiaries, warehouses, jails, reforma-
tories, &C., therefore it is necessary to
proceed on the assumption that all
criminals were arrested
In 1890 6,324,702 or 1873 per cent Of
the 47,413,559 persons in the United
States 10 years Of age or over, We're illit-
crate, and III per cent, or $500 were
prisoners in penitentiaries, jai.s, &c. In
the North Atlantic States only SO per
cent, or S59,999 persons out OF popu.
lation of 13,8ss,377 10 years of age or
over, were illiterate, while 29,25S, or q
per cent, were prisoners. The popula-
tion of the South Atlantic States 10
years of age or over was 6,415,921, of
whom 800 per cent, or 1861 1888; were
illiterate, and only III per cent, or
11,409, prisoners The North Central
States had population OF 16,900,6l3 10
years of age or over, of whom 81 per
Ntubf vi oott~OOI nGlO lAIlLuldbC, duh IL
per cent, or 1884, prisoners. The
Eouth Central States, with population
of 7,799,4S7 10 years Of age or over, of |
whom 297 per cent, or 2,319,971, were
tlliteTate, had 2 per cent, or 16,US4, in |
prison, and the Western States, with S.3 |
per cent, or 199,6S6 illiterate ia popu-
lation of 2,400, l61 persons 10 years of
age or over, had .2S per cent, or 6,72i,
prisoners.
OF the s2,329 prisoners in 1890, 34.3
per cent were confined in the North
Atlantic States, 1879 per cent in the
South Atlantic, Gal per cent in the
North central, 1875 in the South central
and 80 per cent in the Western States.
1t will be noticed that the percentage
pf population 10 years OF age or over
imprisoned in the South Atlantic States,
where the percentage of illiteracy was
the highest, was exactly the same as the
average for the whole country, while
the percentage of population who were
prisoners in the South Central States
was the same us the percentage for the
North Atlantic States, although the per-
centage of illiterates for the former was
almost five times as great as for the
latter. 1t will also be noticed that the
North Central States had not only the
lowest percentage of its population
! within prison walls, but also the smallest
percentage ofilliterates, while the West
ern States, with percentage of litter
ates slightly larger than the North
Atlantic States, enjoys the unenyiable
distinction of having larger percentage
of population in prison than any other
section.
Louisiana shows the highest percent
age of illiteracy, 45.S, and sos prison.
ers, or q per cent of her population.
South Carolina follows closely in per-
centage of illiteracy with 45 per cent,
and has 1854, or IA per cent of her
population, prisoners. New Mexico
" comes next, with 445 per cent of litter
ates and 205 of population, or rs per
cent, prisoners then Alabama, Al per
cent iliiterate and 2,51S, or .23 per cent,
prisoners Mississippi, 40 per cent illit-
crate and LIT, or .13 per cent, prison
ers; Georgia, 1913 per cent, illiterate and
2,93S, or .22 per cent, prisoners; North
Carolina, 35.7 per cent iliterate and
2,033, or .1S per cent, prisoners, and
Virginia, 30.2 per cent illiterate and
& 5000, or II per cent, prisoners.
n Nebraska has the honor of the lowest
~ percentage of illiterates, 81, and has
600, or .0S per cent of her population
within prison walls. Wyoming, which
Il follows closely with 34 per cent of illit
crates, has only IA prisoners, and they
are 10 per cent Of her population II
years of age or over. Iowa has 3.6 pc
cent illiterates and l,0l6, or .07 per cent
M prisoners; Kansas, 4 per cent illiterate
.& and 1923, or 10 per cent, prisoners, ant
A
per cent of the total population, ther'
. IA were only 440 prisoners reported. The,
were .1S per cent of the population o
n the State, the same rate as in Kansas
In South Dakota AZ per cent of tn
population were illterate and 178, O
los per cent, prisoners. In Washingto
4.3 per cent were illiterate and 452, o
y o16 per cent, prisoners, and in Idaho 5.
per cent were illiterate and $50, or -
per cent, prisoners. Illinois, Ohio an
M Colorado showed the same percentag
of illiterates, 5,2, and Illinois had 1893
" Tor 10 per cent, Ohio 1900, or 10 pc
cent, and Colorado 902, or .2S per cen
prisoners.
No fixed rule can be stated of the r
lation of illiteracy to crime. 1t is trl
that Nebraska, with the lowest percen
age of illiGerates, also has the smalle
percentage of prisoners, but Wyomin
which closely follows with 3.4 per ce
ofillitcrates, has 10 per cent of prisoner
which is greater percentage than Sou
Carolina, where nearly one-half OF u
inhabitants are illiterate.
Ii is also interesting in this connectlt
to note that in Massachusetts only IL.
46S, or SO per cent of the populatio
So are illiterate, yet 5,227, or .2S per ce
of the population, are criminals
prison; whereas in Georgia, with pop
iation of 1,302,20S 10 years of age
over, 51S,706, or 1913 per cent, q
illiterate, and only 1898, or .22 per &C
criminals. Then again in Tenuess
with population of 1,s76,63l 10 yet
of age or over, $40, l4O, or $3.50 per ce
are illiterate, and 2,451, or 10 per ce