While on the subject of the County Prison, it may not be amiss to
present a few statistics regarding the number of those who have been its
inmates during the year 1863. The whole number of commitments was
17,219. The philanthropist who looks at the effect of vice or misfortune
on individuals, will be startled at such a statement, when he considers
how much private misery and domestic grief there were involved in all
these incarcerations; not only in the separation of so many persons from
their social and domestic associations, but more than that, often the
long career of annoyance to family and friend, from the regular advance
in crime and vice which led to the incarceration. One other fact is
noticeable, the increase in imprisonment in 1863 over those in 1862 was
2,573. That, it is evident to those who visit the prison and examine
into the cause of such painful effects, is, in part, one of the bitter
fruits of the present war. And the mortifying fact, that 794 of the
increase of committed were females, is evidently referable to the same
cause. In 1861 and a part of 1862, the number of commitments of males
was greatly decreased, as the army was absorbing with better elements,
many of those who were almost monthly successful candidates for the
prison, while at the same time, the number of females increased, owing
to the absence of those to whom they were responsible, and to the
periodical reception of money in larger amounts than they had been
accustomed to receive. The return of whole regiments to our city,
serves, by supplying only a few vicious from each, to bring up the
number of males without diminishing those of females committed. Yet we
must not overlook the fact, that a large portion of those extra
commitments are of persons who contrive to make their appearance at the
prison in about ten days after having served thirty days in the cells.
They are new commitments, but they are old offenders; and they furnish
one strong argument, or rather, perhaps, show the necessity for a House
of Correction.
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