Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-24
TRAMP PROBLEM TROUBLES
POLICE OFFICIALS OF CITIES
MANY METHODS PROPOSED TO
CHECK EVIL
Towns Where Rock Piles Are Main.
tanned Generally Free from Box
Car Tourists--Many Here
at Present

The reports from the county jails of
the state show that on January / there
were 622 men awaiting trial and 1886
more men serving sentence upon con-
vietions for misdemeanors. The state
is overrun during this winter season
with Migrants and petty criminals, who
flock here because of the mildness of
climate and the case with which they
can get food.
In summer time these men drift back
east, where they came from. In our
jails they are well fed, are allowed to
congregate together read papers, tell
stories and have a fairly good time.
Tramps have been known to commit
crimes purposely to get into Jail TO pass
a comfortable, easy winter.
The one thing they do not like is
work. and the problem will not be
solved until a jail sentence is accom-
panied by labor.
Prisoners Should Work
A prisoner awaiting trial cannot and
should not be made to work, but one
serving sentence can and should be put
to work. Section 1913 of the penal code
reads: Persons confined in the county
Jail under Judgment of Imprisonment
rendered in a criminal action or pro-
ceeding, may be required by an order
of the board of supervisors to perform
labor on the public works or ways in
the county"
The county of San Bernardino has
placed a stockade around the Jail yard.
Into this are brought large pieces of
stone suitable, when broken up, to
nacadamize roads, and around next to
the wall are improvised seats on which
men sit and break this stone by hand.
A few are employed with heavy sledges
TO break up the large pieces into small
er ones, then the others break up into
roadmaking sizes with hammer. 9th
ers are employed TO shovel up and
wheel out the prepared material. Sew
enty-two men were at work in this
yard, and they were doing good work.
Two guards only were over them.
Establish Rock Pile
The supervisors of Santa Cruz county
have established a rock crushing plant
in a hill mile and a half from the
county Jail 1t consists of a rock crush
er, a road roller and stationery engine
combined. This machine runs the
crusher and also rolls the roads after
the crushed rock is spread on. The
cost of this plant iSfabout $500. Each
day the prisoners walk out to this plant
and return at night. One guard is re-
quired to about fifteen prisoners. No
distinguishing suit and no ball and
chain is used. They are not necessary.
Sheriff Traitor says that the fear of
arrest and conviction for Jail breaking,
in which the prisoner would probably
get longer term than he was serving,
has a strong influence in preventing
escapes. 1t must also be considered
that If such person should escape he
would flee as fast as possible out OF
the state to avoid rearrest, which in
itself might not be an unmixed evil
Local prisoners prefer to work outside
than to remain confined in Jail. This
plan is good for both the physical and
moral health of the prisoners and prof
liable to the county.
Tramps Don't Stop
w. II. Reilly, under sheriff of Ven
tura county, reports that the board or
Supervisors of that county have estab-
lished rock crushing plant in the Jail
yard. consisting of a crusher run by a
gasoline engine. Rock is gathered on
the beach and drawn to the yard,
where it is crushed and sold to the city.
The number of tramps has decreased IN
Ventura since the establishment of this
plant. 1t was generally known among
them within a week, and now any one
| of this class passing this way goes
through Ventura without stopping.
| Section 1914 of the penal code pro-
vides that the board of supervisors may
prescribe a good time allowance of hVe
| days in each month for cheerful ana
willing obedience to the rules and reg
ulations,' and the prisoners conduct Is
reported to be positively good rms
regulation is an incentive to wood
work.
If every county in the state would
adopt a similar course vagrancy would
soon be a thing of the past.