Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-09
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL. MONDAY FEBRUARY o. 1914.

show too that the tremendous growth
in the volume of crime and drunken
ness in it's district, totalling for
the past IL years 1s9 per cent. has
been checked and for the time turned
back, but at the price of eternal vigil
ance and ceaseless efforts of Cumber-
land county sheriffs in the last nine
months.
From the reports which we have
at hand the record of Penobscot coun-
ty Jail is substantially the same as
that of Cumberland. Our information
is that Penobscot county is receiving
good enforcement of the law by its
sheriff.
York county shows a reduction of
II per cent in it's jail population, a 80
per cent reduction in its commitments
for drunkenness and 1S per cent. re-
duetion In drunkenness and total COM
mitments for the year. This jail has
large proportion of tramps, a re-
cent inspection showing over so per
cent. of that class in the prison at
that time The Jail has a we'll or
ganized workshop and the prisoners
are kept at work. For the sheriff of
York county to have made possible
in the year reduction in commit
ments has required close attention
to his duties. During the last three
years the county has had excellent
enforcement of the law, those three
years showing but one-half the COM
mitments for drunkenness of the three
previous years.
"Anong the counties with the light
est Jail Observation-Disclosures, Lincoln.
Piscataquis, Somerset and Waldo
Hancock makes q good showing in its
reductions. Lincoln county has closed
its Jail, having had but 10 commit
ments through the year, and IA of
these were tramps. The conditions in
the other counties referred to have
had good enforcement by the sheriffs.
oxford county has reduced COM
mitments for drunkenness % per cent.
but makes a slight increase on other
/ points.
"Aroostook makes small increase
4 in drunkenness and total commit
ments, but a reduction in its Jail pop
ulation.
"a distinct change in this advance
along the line of sobriety and economy
is shown by the records made in Knox
and Franklin counties. Franklin
shows an increase in it's Jail popula-
ton of IS per cent, an increase OF 40
per cent. in the commitments for
/ drunkenness for the year, and an in
crease in the total commitments of Az
per cent Knox shows an increase IN
! it's iail population of 25 per cent, an
increase of u per cent. in the commit
ments for drunkenness for the year
and an increase in the total commit
ments of AZ per cent.
I'VE may comment that reversal
/ in these percentages, an increase
which has been equalled. and more,
by other counties, would have evil
denced a more careful enforcement of
the prohibitory law in excluding IN
toxicants from these counties, with
the attendant advantages to their cit
/ liens.
Through the State the number OF
prisoners in the jails is less by SO per
cent. than that of the corresponding
date for the previous year, and the
same percentage applies to the aver
age for six years. The NUMBER com
mitted for drunkenness for the past
wear was less by 40 per cent. thah
that of the preceding year and ~ per
cent less than the average NUMBER
for the last six years. the percent
age of total commitments is 70 per
| cent. less than that OF the preceding
year and 26 per cent less than the
/ six years average. The records snow
that this reduction was accomplished
in less than eight months, the nrst
part of the year having the average
of the preceding year. The total COM
mitrnents to the jails for the past year
were 1910 against 6SSS for the preced-
ing year. a decrease OF 144S.
"These figures show that in the past
wear there were from 15D0 to l10o less
men committed to the jails than IN
the preceding year, and the years pre-
/ ceding, and that there are now IN the
State a large number of men who
/ have been lifted by the policy of law
I enforcement from an inprovident and
wasteful level of existence to that of
those who do the work and business
! of the State. with the livelihood and
privileges which follow. And to this
I great material result may be added the
( unreasonable benefits which have
come to the many homes from the re-
! straint and removal Of the cause OF
untold sorrow and privation.
What this sane and economical pol
! icy would have meant to the State II
| followed from the days OF its orlgl-
! nator, means now to the State during
the few months in which 1t has been
active, and what it will mean if con-
! tinued, may be left to it's citizens to
| consider.
From the point of view of the in
spectors, as among the least OF It's
benefits, it will save the building OF
larger jails, which until this revela-
ton seemed imperative"