Negative Effects
There have been many times in history when select groups of people decide to make the decision of a whole nation. This has caused much conflict in the past and this is the same in the case of prohibition. Prohibition is defined as the time period where the consumption, transportation and sale of alcohol were illegal.
Prohibition laws were passed in America during the 1920s with the intention of decreasing some of already present issues in the American society. These problems included are the like of robberies, street fights between drunks that damaged other properties, drunk men coming home and beating their wives and so on. Alcohol Consumption was often a factor in these issues but was targeted as a source. When targeted and inhibited, prohibition caused a decrease in the crime rate for a short period of time. It later turned in to a larger issue when crime increased because of the restriction of alcohol.
Prohibition affect the United States was by impacting the economy. The increase of crime due to prohibition cost the government lots of money. This money was spent on maintaining and managing the number of prisoners that were behind bars because of prohibition crimes.(1) The Day, a newspaper in Iowa, stated some of the effects prohibition had on the economy. It stated that the direct cost of crime in the city Rochester, New York was nearly $1.5 million in 1929.(2)
As prohibition was enforced more and more, many people fought for their right to consume alcohol. As the tension between the wets (those who were against prohibition) and dries (those who were for prohibition) increased, this resulted in a rise in crime and criminal court trails. One place that this crime was visible was in Chicago.
In Chicago, criminal activity was rooted in many of the ethnic neighborhoods, according to Mark H. Haler's journal on “Urban Crime and Criminal Injustice the Chicago Case”. He states that 30% of the criminals in Chicago where of Italian background, 29 percent were of Irish background 20 % were Jewish back ground and 12 percent were black.(3)
Crime in the city of Chicago was at an all time high in 1920s. Crime even affected the officers and agents who supported prohibition. Chicago Defender, an African Americans new paper, published a story of an agent being shot during an undercover operation. Agent Eugene Jackson was shot and killed while arresting a Bootlegger (rum runners or alcohol dealers).(4)
Prohibition laws were interpreted differently by different states. The consumption of alcohol was illegal during prohibition but alcohol replacements had existed. Near Beer was an alcohol replacement. One place it was brewed was in the Manitowoc brewery in Wisconsin. The people in Iowa still thought Near Beer was an alcoholic beverage and the transportation and consumption of Near Beer was illegal in some states. During the transportation of Near Beer in to Des Moines Iowa, ten car loads of the beverage were raided by the police. John B Hammond was in charge during the raid and had a legal warrant.(5)
Though the cars were raided by Iowa police, the carloads carrying Near Beer were not officially in Iowa police jurisdiction. They were actually raided just out side Des Monies Iowa. Hammond took the case to court and Judge Meson was the judge who presided. The charges were dropped because the warrant was not in the jurisdiction. Also a chemist had proven that Near Beer only contained one third of 1 percent of alcohol and was not capable of intoxication. This case highlights the vague enforcement of prohibition. The police had no jurisdiction in this case because Near Beer was being transported as inter-state commerce and state police didn’t have federal jurisdiction on the case.
Prohibition made consumption and distribution of alcohol illegal. It was also thought to improve some of the violence and crime that already existed in the United States. Though that was the intention, it also caused many political, criminal and even judicial issues. Prohibition was then later repealed in 1933.
Prohibition laws were passed in America during the 1920s with the intention of decreasing some of already present issues in the American society. These problems included are the like of robberies, street fights between drunks that damaged other properties, drunk men coming home and beating their wives and so on. Alcohol Consumption was often a factor in these issues but was targeted as a source. When targeted and inhibited, prohibition caused a decrease in the crime rate for a short period of time. It later turned in to a larger issue when crime increased because of the restriction of alcohol.
Prohibition affect the United States was by impacting the economy. The increase of crime due to prohibition cost the government lots of money. This money was spent on maintaining and managing the number of prisoners that were behind bars because of prohibition crimes.(1) The Day, a newspaper in Iowa, stated some of the effects prohibition had on the economy. It stated that the direct cost of crime in the city Rochester, New York was nearly $1.5 million in 1929.(2)
As prohibition was enforced more and more, many people fought for their right to consume alcohol. As the tension between the wets (those who were against prohibition) and dries (those who were for prohibition) increased, this resulted in a rise in crime and criminal court trails. One place that this crime was visible was in Chicago.
In Chicago, criminal activity was rooted in many of the ethnic neighborhoods, according to Mark H. Haler's journal on “Urban Crime and Criminal Injustice the Chicago Case”. He states that 30% of the criminals in Chicago where of Italian background, 29 percent were of Irish background 20 % were Jewish back ground and 12 percent were black.(3)
Crime in the city of Chicago was at an all time high in 1920s. Crime even affected the officers and agents who supported prohibition. Chicago Defender, an African Americans new paper, published a story of an agent being shot during an undercover operation. Agent Eugene Jackson was shot and killed while arresting a Bootlegger (rum runners or alcohol dealers).(4)
Prohibition laws were interpreted differently by different states. The consumption of alcohol was illegal during prohibition but alcohol replacements had existed. Near Beer was an alcohol replacement. One place it was brewed was in the Manitowoc brewery in Wisconsin. The people in Iowa still thought Near Beer was an alcoholic beverage and the transportation and consumption of Near Beer was illegal in some states. During the transportation of Near Beer in to Des Moines Iowa, ten car loads of the beverage were raided by the police. John B Hammond was in charge during the raid and had a legal warrant.(5)
Though the cars were raided by Iowa police, the carloads carrying Near Beer were not officially in Iowa police jurisdiction. They were actually raided just out side Des Monies Iowa. Hammond took the case to court and Judge Meson was the judge who presided. The charges were dropped because the warrant was not in the jurisdiction. Also a chemist had proven that Near Beer only contained one third of 1 percent of alcohol and was not capable of intoxication. This case highlights the vague enforcement of prohibition. The police had no jurisdiction in this case because Near Beer was being transported as inter-state commerce and state police didn’t have federal jurisdiction on the case.
Prohibition made consumption and distribution of alcohol illegal. It was also thought to improve some of the violence and crime that already existed in the United States. Though that was the intention, it also caused many political, criminal and even judicial issues. Prohibition was then later repealed in 1933.
(1) “Hoover board not decided on dry stand.” The Day (New London, Connecticut). October 9, 1930.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KJ80AAAAIBAJ&sjid=q3EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6887,1914824&dq=prohibition+crime
+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(2) “Will not appeal near bear ruling.” The Telegraph Herald (Iowa). January 30, 1929. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wrwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6146,6877377&dq=prohibition+crime+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(3) “Bootlegger Caught In Trap; Murders Prohibition Agent: Federal man, Unarmed, Shot Three Times, Wife of Two Months Sees Shooting” Chicago Defender (Chicago). August 6, 1932. Accessed March 28, 2013. http://search.proquest.com.mcc1.library.csulb.edu/hnpchicagodefender/docview/492377256/13D1789EF4679E0517D/5?accountid=10351(Accessed March 23, 2013).
(4) Haller, Mark H. “Urban Crime and Criminal Injustice: The Chicago Case.” The Journal of American History 57, no. 3 (December 1970): 619-635. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1917978?seq=2 (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(5) “Hammond may make a later attempt.” The Telegraph Herald (Iowa). January30, 1929. Accessed on March 23, 2013. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wrwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6146,6877377&dq=prohibition+crim
e+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KJ80AAAAIBAJ&sjid=q3EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6887,1914824&dq=prohibition+crime
+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(2) “Will not appeal near bear ruling.” The Telegraph Herald (Iowa). January 30, 1929. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wrwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6146,6877377&dq=prohibition+crime+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(3) “Bootlegger Caught In Trap; Murders Prohibition Agent: Federal man, Unarmed, Shot Three Times, Wife of Two Months Sees Shooting” Chicago Defender (Chicago). August 6, 1932. Accessed March 28, 2013. http://search.proquest.com.mcc1.library.csulb.edu/hnpchicagodefender/docview/492377256/13D1789EF4679E0517D/5?accountid=10351(Accessed March 23, 2013).
(4) Haller, Mark H. “Urban Crime and Criminal Injustice: The Chicago Case.” The Journal of American History 57, no. 3 (December 1970): 619-635. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1917978?seq=2 (Accessed March 23, 2013).
(5) “Hammond may make a later attempt.” The Telegraph Herald (Iowa). January30, 1929. Accessed on March 23, 2013. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qXlFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wrwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6146,6877377&dq=prohibition+crim
e+problems&hl=en (Accessed March 23, 2013).