Jail Costs & Prohibition

1927 holiday greeting card from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office. Left to Right, Sheriff Jim Leavitt, Deputy Tom Massey and Deputy A.C. “Cass” Hunsinger.

In 1926 the Lassen County Sheriff George Carter was a in a tight re-election race. To appease the so-called “bean counters”.  Carter released the figures about the costs of housing jail inmates. There were those of the opinion that prohibition was a federal issue and the federal government should bare those costs. The issue was addressed in the Wright Act, and more about that later. In June, 1926 Carter noted that the cost housing prisoners was $4,509 but the fines collected was $11,909, which in his opinion was mute. It must not have appeased the public as Carter lost in the general election to Jim Leavitt.

Tim

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