TABLES RELATING TO STATE INSTITUTIONS. The following tables contain a directory of the State charitable and correctional institutions in the United States, as far as ascertainable, together with statistics showing the capacity of each institution, its population Dec. 31, 1893 and 1894, the expense of maintaining inmates, the estimated value of property, etc. The question arose at the outset, What institutions shall be included under the title "State Institutions"? It was decided to include all institutions wholly or partly maintained from the State treasury. We have been unable, however, to obtain a complete list of the institutions for dependent children which receive State aid or to obtain complete information respecting all of those whose names we did obtain. We have included one city institution, the Louisville Industrial School of Reform. We have grouped together the twenty-two county insane asylums in the State of Wisconsin for the sake of convenience and to save space. It is probable that some institutions receiving State grants have been omitted, but we have used our best endeavors to make the list complete. And, so far as we are aware, there has never been so complete a list made of the State institutions of the country. The statistics may require some explanation. Under the head of "capacity" we asked the superintendents to state the normal capacity of the institution without overcrowding. Under "expense of maintenance" we asked the superintendents to include salaries of officers, etc., and to exclude expenditures for lands, buildings, and improvements. To ascertain the "net expense of maintenance," we asked them to deduct receipts from sales and labor of inmates, but not to deduct receipts from individuals, counties, or the United States for board of inmates. The cost per inmate was ascertained by dividing the net expense by the average number of inmates actually present in the institution during the year. In this way we endeavor to obtain, as nearly as possible, uniform results. As a consequence, the expense per capita, as shown, is in many cases different from that shown by the published reports of the institutions. The work of preparing the table has been done by Mr. George G. Cowie, clerk of the Minnesota State Board of Corrections and Char ities. We are aware that, notwithstanding our best efforts, the wo imperfect; and we shall take it as a great favor to be informed of mistakes or changes which may be observed by the reader. Cor tions should be sent to H. H. Hart, General Secretary. Minn. |