Citation

Wood AE. Am. J. Sociol. 1930; 35(6): 1027-1041.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1930, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/215260

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The six prison riots which occurred in the United States in 1929 focused public attention upon penal problems. Proposed federal legislation advocates the establishment of two new penal institutions, two narcotic farms, and a federal hospital for defective delinquents. The National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement report in November, 1929. Its recommendations have to do principally with the enforcement of the federal prohibition laws. A comparison of convictions and commitments since 1917 shows a phenomenal increase. Prohibition violations occasion 70 per cent of the convictions but only 24 per cent of the commitments, while the narcotic law violations are only 5 per cent of the convictions, with 24 per cent of the commitments. Of importance are the appointments of Vollmer at the University of Chicago and Goddard at Northwestern University to positions in police administration. Notable changes in legislation include laws similar to the Baumes Law in Colorado and Pennsylvania, a new children's code in Wisconsin, the recognition of psychiatrists and psychologists in Ohio, and a sterilization law in West Virginia. More than a score of outstanding researches have been reported during the year.