The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-30
CRIME DECREASES
UNDER DRY LAW
Professor Gillin Tells Social
Workers of Effects of -
New Law
GREAT REDUCTION
IN COURT CASES
Decrease of "a and 45 Per Cent In City
of Grand Rapids - Pennsylvania
Jail Population Decreases Half -
-Gives Figures for Other States.


Jail Population Decreases Half -
-Gives Figures for Other States.
MILWAUKEE, June 3O.-Evidence
has been found which seems to indicate
that prohibition, even with the difficulty
| OF imperfect enforcement, seems to have
decided effect upon criminality, Prof. ].
L. Gillin, of the University of Wisconsin
told the national conference OF social
work at its session here this morning.
The study of the situation in Grand
Rapids, Mich" Professor Gillin stated,
showed that during the first year of pro-
, hlbltlon there was a reduction of d per
cent IN court cases and of 40 per cent
the second year. 1t is well-knOwn fact
That the excessive use of alcohol is con-
nected with certain crimes more directly
than with others. Crimes of violence are
more influenced than crimes of cunning.
DIR. Elwood told us that alcoholic
, York state hospital since prohibition went
INTO effect, The percentage of first adj
missions decreased from sc per cent to
4 per cent in 1919.
In Indiana, in 1920, the average daily
number In the state prison was only 900
as compared with l 200 in 1917. In the
refOrmatory the number had decreased
the woman's prison from % to A. The
number of women misdemeanants in the
correctional department of the women 5
prisons had decreased from Ill to 81 a.;
the mlSdemeanantS at the state farms had
tdecreased from 693 to 293. There was a
! slight decrease in the number in the boys
school and a slight increase in the number
III the girls school for those years. The
commitments to the state farm dropped
from 2,:522 in 1916 to 993 in 1920: TO the
| correctional department of the woman 5
prison from 81 to 81 the number sen
fenced to jails from 9,S96 to 2,192.
n study reported by Mrs. Tyson in
Pennsylvania shows the number of non
! support cases in Pittsburgh dropped from
1,OJ5 in 1919 to 736 in 1920 The Jail
/ population of the state was decreased by
1 half during last year.
In spite of the increase in arrests and
commitments due to the enforcement of
the prohibitory law which tends to in
crease the number of crimes and prison
ers, in Ohio the secretary of the board of
charities writes me that he is convinced
that prohibition has resulted thus far in
! Il decrease of at least 20 per cent in petty
and ma jor OfTenseS which were crimes
prior to the enactment of the prohibition
/ law.
George s. Wilson. secretary of this
/ board of charities of the District of Co
| lumbia, writes me that the short expert
ence of the district since national prohibi
| ton has gone into effect shows a very
marked decrease in the number of petty
POffenders.
Il Illinois in the three penal institutions
of Joliet Chester and Pontiac, the mum
Der of inmates showed a decided increase
from 1913 to 1917, then decrease in 1915
and 1919. With another increase in
1920, attributed by the fiscal supervisor
of the department of public welfare t
the return of paroled men to the institu
tons and the more rigid enforcement Of
the law in the cities where the news
papers have been devoting considerable,
space to the crime wave
Whether prohibition accounts for thu
difference, of course. Is still an oper
question. That it has had some influence
is less doubtful.
In the face of these facts it is not toe
much to say that there is a close negativ,
correlation between the enactment of tn,
| prohibition law and the commitments t
prison, reformatory and jails"