The Bismarck tribune., 1929-03-25
Proportion of Patients in Men,
tai Disease Hospitals Shows
! a Jump Of 80 per Cent
POSTWAR PERIOD WORST
Inmates With Afflicted Minds
More Than Double Number
Of imprisoned Crooks
BY RODNEY butcher

WVpy11SIIt, AoSo, NEA NSl VIZ, AHSc
Washington, March 25-1n five
years the proportion OF American cit
izens confined in state pcnitentiaries
has increased more than 20 per cent.
Instead of falling behind. the pris-
on population is outstripping the free
population in relative growth.
The proportion of patients in state
hospitals for mental diseases has al
50 increased in the same period and
over . period of ls years has jumped
at least 80 per cent.
These figures arc compiled from
preliminary reports Of the census
bureau covering state prisons and
yeformatories and state hospitals for
mental cases in q states. The states
4te representative, both scctionally
9nd In size.
At the beginning of 1928 there were
67.724 prisoners in their state penal
institutions, as compared with 49,l92
. tn January, 1923, and All In 1910.
[ Increase Rate Grows
That meant an increase Of about
1850 In five years as against an in
crease Of less than 5000 in the pre-
ceding 13 years.
During the first and longer period
there was All actual relative decrease
ASs compared with the general popu-
lation change. But the ensuing five
years told an altogether different
story.
Per 100000 of general population
I'm the q states there was an average
q 20 state prisoners in 1910. y In
1o23 and 88 in 1928.
The available census reports show
that in January, 1928, the largest
proportionate prison population was
that Of Nevada, which had 245.5 pris-
oners per 100000 population although
Nevada has neither 245 prisoners nor
100000 citizens, being the least popu-
louS Of the states. Among the other
% states, California and Michigan
run second and third to Nevada.
Most Of them show substantial
relative increases, the only ones to
llow q decrease in the percentage OF
their populations in prison since 1923
lejng New Hampshire. Maine. Rhode
Island, Pennsylvania. Utah and West
Virginia.
Comparative Figures
Here are the comparative relative
figures showing the number incar-
cerated at the beginning of 1923 and
Of 1923, per 10000 OF population. with
decimal points removed:
California 100 1929 to 40 1929
illinois 65 to 81. Iowa "A to 80. Maine
46.7 to 46.4, Maryland 90 to 13C,
Massachusetts, 50 to A.. Michigan 81
- 139. Minnesota 65 to 80. Missouri
- to 103. Montana 81 to IS, Nevada
32S to 245. New Hampshire 81 to %,
New Mexico "a to 81. New York So to
., Ohio 50 to Ill. Oklahoma 50 to
130, Oregon - to 70, Pennsylvania ~
to -. Rhode Island 72 to 81. South
Dakota - to 60. Utah ~ to 40, Vir-
6inia g to 83, Washington 70 to 81,
West Virginia los to 81 and Wiscon-
l1n q to SIS.
Il | These figures, 1t should be pointed
nut, cannot be used to show that the
people OF one state are wickedkr than
those Of another. Too many compli-
eating factors would have to be con-
eidered before any wise cracks Of that
sAort would be warranted.
Mental Patients Increase
II ~ The - states in which the census
~ state mental hospitals has been
&Aken are In some instances the same
|efates mentioned above and some-
times not. The total as added by this
writer. shows 169 inmates per 100, 900
population in 1910, 2l1 in 1923 and
'222 In 1929.
Il The lol0-1023 period. which covers
|the war and immediate postwar
Eears. produced an increase Of about
6 per cent and the next five years an
approximate increase Of five per cent
more.
B It will be observed that the num-
Der Of inmates Of state hospitals for
pental diseases runs more than
nouble the average number Of prison.
4rs Ia state penal institutions.