The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-20
Over One-fourth of Persons Confined In State Jdils Are
 Held In Jefferson County
State Prison Inspector Oates Issues Statement Prison Con- ditions of State During Past Four Years-Charges
 Jals Being Money Making Machines

Montgomery, December 19.-(Special.) More than one-fourth of all the persons confined in the jails of Alabama dur Ing the past year were imprisoned in the Jefferson county jail. and more than one third of the white women confined ia Iails of the state during the year were In siat prison. Altogether, the number of persons confined in Alabama jails during the year was 23613, of which number 26s per cent were in the Jefferson county hail; il 4 per cent in the Mobile jail, and E per cent in the Montgomery jail.
 These figures are taken from the annual report of Dr. William H. Oates, state prison inspector. The report contains in- formation relating to prison conditions during the past four years of his admin Estration, and is probably the most ex- haustive document on the subject that has been published in any southern state.
 Summary of Subjects
 A brief summary of the main subjects treated in Dr. Oates report would in clude: The number of persons confined in the jails of the state, the cost of feed ing prisoners, jails as money -maki;.g g machines. the food provided prisoners, the physical deterioration and consequent re- suits of confinement in jails in bad con- dition and the results of state supervision.
 Under the subject of cost of feeding prisoners, fl is shown by Dr Oates report that the state spent last year for that purpose sl7592S 30, and that the average cost for each prisoner was $7.45.
 
 Jails Money Making Machines | pr. Oates declares that jails gre money making machines. ''The vile, pernicious. perverting fee system beggars descrip- Sss1n," he says, "and my vocabulary is Inadequate to describe it's deleterious and lbaneful effects. It inculcates into the management of our jails the almighty dollar; prisoners are arrested because of the dollar, and. shame to say are ire quently kept in captivity for months, in steel cages. for no other reason than the almighty dollar pr. Oates shows that great improve ment was made in the iails of the state during the year, and gives in detail the | work of the department for the past four Wears.
 In his letter transmitting his report to | the governor Dr. Oates said: During the three and a half years this department has been in existence 1892 inspections have been made. 76G Of which were of prisons, almshouses and convict camps and 626 were of es- establishments employing child 1aborers. During this length of time 42 coun- ties have erected or remodeled their jails and there has been a marked im- movement in nearly all the jails in f5De state
 There has been a revolution in the hygienic conditions, sanitation and healthfulness of vast majority Of the iaiIs, but there is still room for an immense amount of improvement. Prior to the creation of this depart rnent the condition of the jails of Ala = bama and the treatment of the in- mates were a reflection on our civiliza- tiop.
 ,x This report does not include the work Mlis department devoted to the en- forcement of the child labor. law. As state factory inspector I will submit separate report on the inspections of 1o4 misunderstanding industries, enr ploying approximately 15.600 persons. of which number approximately 230o are Schildren between the ages of 12 and 16, and approximately 1890 are between the ges of Is and IS.
 Number of Prisoners
 Tho Following data is a result oT the compilation of tho monthly reports snade to this department by the sher- ifs throughout the state.
 During the fiscal year ending Septem- ber 30 the following number of pris- oners were confined in the jails of Alabama:
 Number in jail at the commencement of the year, ITS.
 Number incarcerated during the year:
 White men ................... 5,3a4 sNeSIO men if,-oo Negro women .................. a,49o w nltes women ............4... o5o lOtdi -",olo
 Of this grand total more than one fourth. or. to be exact, 26.S per cent, were confined in the Jefferson county