The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-03
ALL ARE CROWDED
Kansas Facing Serious Problem
i'm State Institutions.
Present Population Is 6,59S-
Capacity Only $500.
REPORT ISSUED BY M. M. GRAY
Necessary to Parole Many From
State Hospitals.
Population Hospitals Changes
Every Two Years.

Kansas is facing one Of the most
serious situations in its history with
regard TO its penal and charitable in
stitutions, a report made public by
Malcolm NJ. Gray, secretary of the
state board of administration, states.
The report shows that the present
population of the states twelve penal
institutions and hospitals is 6.5sS.
while the capacity OF these institutions
IL but $500. This is probably the
most crowded condition the institu-
lions have ever experienced, Secretary
Gray said.
Moreover. the condition Of the state
hospitals would be worse. II We
stated. il the number Of paroles from
these institutions had not been eX-
tended as far as possible
1T has become necessary TO parole
patients from all OF the state hospitals
3 who show indications Of being able
TO get along outside OF the institutions,
the report stated This mas peen
necessary in order to admit violent
cases that must be taken care or
The situation is more serious when II
is realized that all of the patients pa
rolled are returnable at any time
Many Arc ParOled.
As an indication Of the number of
inmates that the board has been re-
quired TO parole because Of the
crowded conditions. Secretary Gray
pointed ont that 764 inmates of the
boys industrial school here are out
on parole The entire population or
the school is only go, and the ca
pacity 32s. From the state peniten-
rfarv 2s7 are on parole with a total
population of $50: from the girls in
dustrial school, Beloit, asa, with
population of so. and from the boys
refornatory, Hutchinson, 345. with
population of 53S.
Lack of time in which to give pa
tients full and complete treatment due
10 the conEested condition and the
necessity for rotating the population
has resulted in greatly diminishing
the number of restored cases and IN
til relief is IN sight. it will be neces-
sary to refuse applications for want
of ROOM the report stated.
Secretary Gray said that under the
present over-crOwded conditions of the
state institutions. the population of
the hospitals changes perhaps once
every two years altho in extreme
cases inmates have been in for as
high as thirty years
More Applications.
The number of applications for en-
trance to the hospitals Increases and
particularly difficult this time of
year, Secretary Gray said, especially |
among senile patients. because Of tho !
weather conditions Gray discredited |
statements that the increased popula- |
ton of such institutions is due to |
prohibition-the inability Of persons to
get alcoholic stimuIants-
The report on the population of the l
state institutions shows the following l
conditions: Topeka hospital, popula- |
ton. 1871; capacity, ISIS; Osawato-
mie hospital, population, 1874; ca
pacity. 1855; Larned hospital, popula- |
ton. 235; capacity. 1T2; Parsons hos |
pitaI. population, 524: capacity, $50: ]
.r-T on Fnrorr1- I
capacity. %; Winfield training school, /
population. 747; capacity, 10; Or /
phans' home. AtchisOn. population, |
172; capacity, PIG; state penitentiary. /
population. 1.17Ss capacity 700; |
A62: capacity. SIS: Industrial farm, /
Lansing. population. 123; capacity, |
1856: boys industrial school. popula-
tion. 32S. capacity. $50: girls indus /
trial school, population. 1874: capacity,
$50