The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-20
FEWER FEMALES
IN OUR PRISONS
Percentage of Foreigners Also
$ Shows a Decrease, Accord
ing to Census Figures.
MORE NEGROES LOCKED UP
JUVENILE OFFENDERS GAIN 55.2
PER CENT.

Washington, Aug. 19-After almost
three years OF continuous work the bu-
reau of census today published a special
report on prisoners and also Juvenile de-
hnquents in prisons, reformatories and
other institutions throughout the coun-
try. The report covers the year 1904.
and the chief basis of comparison are
the figures of a similar census in 1890.
1t is shown that there has been grad
ual decrease of foreign prisoners, and
That marked tendency is the spread OF
crime among young negroes. The total
OF native-bOrn offenders has materially
increased, and even for the states most
affected by the great influx OF immi-
grafton proves that the crime percent
age against the foreigners has decreased.
Exclusive Of persons imprisoned for
non-p3yment of fines there were 81, III
sane persons at least years old serving
sentences in civil prisons on June 20, 1901.
For every 100000 of population 1,006 were
prisoners. On June !, 1890, there were
only 66S03 prisoners, but the rate for
every 100000 of the population was 1,O67.
The grand total Of prisoners for 1904 was
l49 81
The report points out however, that
these figares should not be taken I'M
qualifiedly as indicating a decrease in
crime. Since 1890 probation and parole
systems have oeen established, there has
also been a movement against short pris-
on sentences, and other forms of leni-
out OF prison. and thereby the positive
ratio Of prisoners to population has de-
creased.
One Of the Illuminating facts of the
report is the steady decrease OF female
prisoners. In 1880 women formed SIS per
cent of the prisoners, in 1880, rs per
cent, and in 1904 5.5 per cent. The de-
crease between 1880 and 1904 was gen.
eral to the whole country.
In 1880 negroes formed 304 per cent of
= the grand total, while in 1904 they stood
at 32-6 The increase particularly af-
fects the north central states, with fig
ures of l42 for 1880 and 20.5 for 1904. OF
the Juvenile delinquents 1913 per cent
were negroes while of the general pop
ulation OF 1890 the negroes formed only
III per cent These bare figures gen
favorable to the negroes, but the blacks
are central in states where little If any
provision is made for youthful Offend
ers,, Taking the figures for individual
states II appears that the tendency of
negro children to crime is much greater
than thai Of the white.
The foreign-born whites in 1890 formed
28-3 per cent of all white prisoners, while
cent The native whites within the same
period Increased from rs per cent to
1s.3. tThis change is common to the
country at large.
During 1905 "a 753 persons were SEN
fenced Tor drunkenness, 1899 for va
granc1 end 1924 for disorderly conduct
OF the totaI prisoners % O9S were sent
to prison for larceny, 10S77 for assault
and 7,161 for robbery. OF the LOG persons
sentenced to death. 80 were for homicide,
for assault and ] for a double crime
murder being one of them. Two women
were executed for murder. Life sem
fences were imposed upon $40 prisoners,
of whom $50 were convicted of homicide
Of robbery. of larceny, 1 of assault. /
Of perjury end of arson. OF the white
prisoners 81 per cent were illiterate
while of the negroes 1913 per cent were
unable to read or write
The total of Juvenile offenders in
creased from 1896 on June /, 1890 to
2a0S4 on June 30. 1904 This marks A
gain of So per cent. This great in
crease is accounted for, saws the re-
port. by the establishment of new in
situations tor he young, and the extern
sion of those in operation in 1890. Dur
ing 1904 1854 children were sent to re-
formatories, of whom 1914 were males
and 1,65O females. OF the total children
LIS were foreign born. and the report
holds the foreign children are little II
any more criminal than the native.