New Britain herald., 1920-02-19
FEWER IN JAIL AS
 COUNTRY DRIES OU1
.s. Prohibition Has Its Effect ag
 County Institution {

Hartford. Feb. 19.-That probibi- tion is showing it's results. in so far as the falling off in crime and other ofenses is concerned, is indicated ;n the mum Der of prisoners in the jaiL. For weeks the mum Der in jail has been getting smaller, and the ieu-- denc! is for the mum Der to drop. and yesterday there were but 65 prisoner rs. in the jail and two Of these were. women. There were but 45 prisoners in the jail under sentence, the re- maining 70 being held for the March, term of the superior criminal couftSs and the contractors in the jail had but 25 men in the shops the remain der of the prisoners under sentence being necessa ry to do the work al boEt the institution.
 Federal Prisoners Not Included.
 This number of prisoners does not include the federal prisoners in jail of which there are about 100 and . over whom Sheriff Gabb has no super vision, they being looked after by men in the employ Of tho federal govern-s ment The falling off in the number of prisoners who are committed for crimes and onenses against the state, and the tendency that the number will STOW less, is 10 present d prop osition for the consideration Of the county comm iSsioncrs. The upkeep and the supervision of the jail for so small a number of prisoners is eXpen, sive, and the jails in some of the smaller counties of the state are va cant. or practically so, and the com- missioners of New Haven and Fair field counties, which are in the same Cl3 Fl Itf uil h sition confronting them the same as in Hartford county. To lessen tac overhead charges in the larger count ties of the state. there is q belief that the commissioners eventually will ba required to close parts of the jail. as with but 2J prisoners working in the shops-as was the case in the Hart ford jail Sesterday--it is not believe I that the contractors will continue with that small amount of labor availa blc, and the same situation a= to scarcity Of la bor exists in the other large counties of the state.
 The situation will be a matter for consid c:';.:ion in the Legislature Of 1921. is the general belief and it w;iS suggested yesterday that becs uss of the existing conditions and the in creasing tendency that the number Of prsonsrs in jail will become fewer az time Soes on. it will be advisa ole ,a ( order the jails in the smaller coun- ties-that is. Windham TolIand, Litchheld and Middlesex, and. possi- by, New London-to be closed entire mitted to jail in those counties ir Hartford or New Haven county.
 Where JaiIs Are Needed.
 IT there is to be necessity for any iails a all in the state-and no one ,- doubts but there will be--that EeceS- sty will be in Hartford. New Haven and Fairfield counties. which are the ' larger three of the eight counties of the state. But the belief wus es- pressed yesterday that eventually there will not bc the necessity for iaus in the other counties as iE .hc three larger counties. and from tho standpoint of economy and for :le best interests of the prisoners ii vas said. it. would be advisa ble to close the iaiIs in the smaller counties and transport the prisoners committed tc - jail to the jail in one of the larger Of the state. Under this ar ransemcnt. the belief was eXprCss,d that the prisoners could be better cared for and the expense to ths county and to the state would bG con- sidera bIy less than the running of a .+ jail for half a dozen or less prisoners. and the cost Of the transportation af .. prisoners would not be heavy as com pared to the expense of main tair;Ts a jail.
 The situation is one which will cal for study and undoubtedly will re-. ceive consliera ton in the next so.s- sion of the Legisla ture to the effect. that some plan will be devised for the ca ring Of jail prisoners that will he different from the present method.