The North Carolina Club held its fortnightly meeting Monday, November 19, in Saunders Hall. After the regular business of the organization had been transacted the members listened to a very interesting talk by Mr. W.B. Sanders on “County Prisons.” The information given out in this talk was gathered by an investigation that the department of Rural Social Economics conducted through the prisons of the state. Questionnaires were sent out to 49 representative county prisons seeking information as to the conditions existent in the jails. Also individual questionnaires were sent to 306 prisoners in the various county jails. The results of these question sheets were given out by Mr. Sanders, and they shed an interesting light on the prison conditions in the state.
It was found that 62 per cent of the inmates of the jail were either totally illiterate or could barely read and right; 62.3 per cent were under 30 years of age. As to the offense for which they were charged, 31.1 percent were convicted of violating the prohibition law; 27.2 percent for crimes against property, such as stealing, larceny, burglary, etc.; 22.2 percent for crimes of violence, such as murder and assault; 7.8 percent for sex crimes.
As to the prisoners’ religious affiliations it was found that 50.3 percent did not belong to any church; 46.1 percent belonged to some church; 3.6 percent had formerly been members of churches but had withdrawn for some reason.
Concerning the health of the prison inmates, it was learned that 25.4 percent either had venereal diseases at the time the questionnaires were sent out or had formerly been afflicted with some form of venereal disease.
Interesting facts were learned about the condition, sanitary and otherwise, in the prisons. Only six had as many as five compartments, the number that is required by state law; 19 had only one compartment, no plans being made for the segregation of the races or sexes; 12 prisons had no mattresses for the inmates to sleep on; 13 had no provisions for bathing.
All these facts and more were learned by the investigating committee, and the Rural Social Economics department think that by acquainting the public with this information they will be rendering a service to the state and to the persons who have to recline in those unsanitary places of confinement which are entirely without any influence that tend to change a person from bad to good.
From the front page of The Tar Heel, Chapel Hill, N.C., Nov. 23, 1923.
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