The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-05-12
A HALF OF GEORG|A'S
PRISONERS ARE KILLERS
ANNUAL REPORT OF. PRISON
COMMISSION THoWS LIGHT
F.. ON CRIMES IN THE STATE.
1854 FELONS in PEMTENTIARY
More Married Men in Prison Than
Single Ones. Majority of Inmates
Can Read and Write. The Women
Criminals Are Increasing.

|
Criminals Are Increasing.
Practically one-half of the 3,164 con-
victs serving sentences in the Georgia
|pententiary for felony crime were con-
victed of murder, manslaughter or at
tempts to Stay, the crimes of this sort
exceeding burglaries and robberies, &C
cording to the annual report of the
Georgia prison commission prepared
for submission to the next session of
the Legislature.
1855 Slayers.
There are now GAS men and women
serving sentences for murder, 331 for
manslaughter '240 for attempts to
murder, "a for being accessories to
murders, and Is for shooting at an
other, according to the report. This
makes total of l,555 out of the pris-
on population of 3,164.
Prison officials point out that the
large number of murder charges has
resulted from an accumulation, as
prisoners convicted on this charge an
nually get life terms. However, the
officials declare that there are far too
many crimes of violence in this state
every year.
There are go convicts serving time
for burglary, 80 for larceny and 142
for robbery There are AZ convicted
of arson, 80 of attempts to rob, q for
car breaking, IA for enlightenment, 70
for forgery, 62 for whisky making, and
six for wrecking railroad trains
There are So white female prisoners
at the state farm. OF this number Is
are. serving felony sentences, seven of
which are for murder Of negro wo-
men at the state farm 108 are serving
felony and Fl misdemeanor sentences.
Young Prisoners Predominant.
In previous occupations farm la
borers led with $40, public work la
borers come next with 704, laborers
have 70l and farmers 32l. There are
10 accountants, SO auto mechanics, IL
BARRIERS, 10 bankers, 20 blacksmiths,
40 carpenters, 40 cooks, A chauffeurs,
2 dentists, q distillers, II fremen,
insurance agent, 4 lawyers, o8 me-
chanics, 8 painters, 3 plumbers, po-
licemen, preachers, 7 soldiers, 3
teachers, and no printers or reporters
in the penitentiary.
A great majority of prisoners are
under the age of u, it is shown, and
nearly a third have served more than
one term.
The oldest prisoner in the peniten-
tiary is 50 years. There are four rs
years of age, five 70, two II and two
TO- The youngest is IS years old.
There are two IA years and fifteen IS
years of age
Married and Single.
OF the prisoners 1871 are married
and 1888 are single. By race III are
white and 1887 are negroes. One is
serving his ninth term, one his eighth
term, while 2,278 are serving first
terms and COL second terms.
A very great majority of the in
mates of the penitentiary can read and
write OF TT whites only 90 are IL
literate, and of 1887 negro inmates
only 662 cannot read or write
Fulton leads all other counties with
OF convicts, Bib has Ill, Chatham
155, Muscogee 95, Richmond "a and
Laurens AZ. The number of convicts
from Terrell county is %. Banks,
Barlow, Dawson, Forsyth and Long
have one representative each
In its letter transmitting the report,
the prison commission renews its re-
quest that an appropriation be made
by the legislature to make proper pro-
vision for the isolation and care of
insane prisoners, and that the salaries
of the officials and guards at the state
farm be increased
Higher Minimum for Murders.
The commission also makes the
same recommendation that it has made
each year since 1921 as to ten years
minimum service before life term
prisoner is eligible to parole. The
three-year minimum, says the COM
mission, is much shorter than the
minimum for many ofenses less grave.
AS soon as life-termer completes
three years of his term he files appli-
cation for parole, and begins fight
to regain his freedom.