Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-08-22

washington, August lb.-The bu-
reau of the census has published a
special report on prisoners and juve-
classes of statistics are presented.
The first class deals with the prison
ers and juvenile delinquents who were
confined in institutions on June 30.
1904, and the second with those who
were committed during the year 1904.
Exclusive of the juvenile delin-
quents in special institutions for that
class, and exclusive of persons i'm
prisoned for the nonpayment of fines,
Sl,f72 sane persons at least years of
age were serving sentences IL civil
prisons on June 80. 1904. Out of every
million persons in the estimated pop-
ulation of that date 10000 we're pris-
oners. One June /, 1890, the total
number of prisoners was only 66,S03
but the number in each million of the
population was 1907.
The fact that the ratio of prisoners
TO population has decreased should
not be regarded, however, ase indicat.
ing a diminished tendency toward
crime. The fourteen-year period be-
tween the censuses has been marked
by the establishment OF probation and
parole systems, by a movement
against the use of short prison SEN
fences for minor offenses. and by the
introduction of other forms of lein.
iency. AS result many minor offend
ers who would have been sent 10
prison in 1890 escaped that penalty in
the later years of the period, and thus
the ratio of the prisoners to popula.
tion mas decreased. Whether crime
mas also decreased can not be deter,
mined from the figures.
Female Prisoners DECREASING.
Possibly the greater leniency in
the present treatment of the criminal
effects the female offenders more
than the male. for the proportion of
women among prisoners has constant.
y decreased, In 1880 women formed
90 per cent of the prisoners; In 1890
1S per cent; and in 1904, SIS per cent
me decrease between 1890 and 1904
is common to all sections of the
country.
Colored Increasing.
Colored persons were more cop,.
mon among the prisoners of .Jupce ao
1904, than they were on June /, 1890
In 1904 the percentage of colored was
sz.6. while In 1890 ii was 3O.4 This
increase In the proportion of colored
prisoners Is shown by all the geo.
graphic divisions of the country ox.
eept the South Atlantic and the west.
ern IL was particularly notable In the
North Central states, here I4.2 ne,
cent OF the prisoners enumerated IN
1880 were colored as contrasted with
20.5 per cent In 1904.
Fewer Foreign Born.
The foreign born whites appear IN
be OF decreasing importance among
prisoners. In 1890 the immigrant class
formed 2S.3 per cent of all white nr,s.
oners of known nativity. but by 1904
TINS percentage had decreased TO oar
The native whites. on the other hana
snow an increased proportion. form.
ing fo's per cent of the total numbe,
OF white prisoners In 1904 and ony
i'e per cent in 1890. This chap.a
moreover, Is not confined TO any ono
section of the country but Is commo,
10 an Even the North Atlantic
states, which have absorbed most Of
me ate immigration, show n Iaryer
percentage of native prisoners and .
smaller percentage of foreign than
,hey did in Is.1.
me number of prisoners in each
million of population varies very wide,
~ IN the different states In ,ao.
Nevada reported $3.50. California :.
-S4. Massachusetts. 1928, New Jersey
4'is9, aud Connecticut. I.14S A. ,ha
other extreme are Oklahoma with sss
pistrlct OF Columbia with 419. Arkap.
sas with 552, Alabama with 557 ceor
ga with 577, and South Carolina
vita 5S6 a mere glance at the fieures
VIII indicate. however. that thav ara
no 'haex OF the relative criminality Of
.he different states. They merely 70.
Meet the extent to which term senten.
ees are used in dealing with CERTAIN
MINOR offenses. In states whore
uruhkness, disorderly conduct and
Vagrancy are severely prosecpted
ana frequently punished by imnrison.
ment the ratio OF prisoners 10 nom.
iauon viii necessarily be higher Than
IN states in which more ,enIant
course is pursued.
Minor otenses Most Comma,
In the country as whole "a 7sa
persons were sentenced for drunken.
ness, 2S,839 for vagraucy and ~ sea
Tor disorderly conduct. In other words
more than one-half Of the total pnn,
Der OF prisoners committed dprin.
the year were sentenced for some Of
these three closely allied offenses. No
less than 25,09s prisoners. ie.s per
cent Of the total number. were sen.