Benefits of National Prohibition

The following table summarizes what Prohibition advocates believe about national prohibition.  Although these changes in society occurred during the period of national prohibition, there may have been additional contributing factors.  The table is reprinted from The National Statesman and is there attributed to one “H. Wayne Pyle.”  The editor has not attempted to verify the accuracy of the information.

  • Wife-beating and lack of family support decreased 82%
  • Drunkenness was down 55%
  • Assault was down 53%
  • Vagrancy decreased 525% (sic)
  • Disorderly conduct decreased 51%
  • Delinquency was down 50%
  • Cirrhosis deaths decreased 50%
  • Houses of correction had a 4-times reduction of inmates; many were closed
  • General domestic complaints decreased 3 times
  • County hospitals had the lowest death rate in history
  •  Alcohol almost disappeared
  • Prostitution decreased
  • Crime nationwide, excluding Chicago, was down 38%
  • Crime in Chicago was down 25%
  • Savings accounts tripled
  • Insurance policies doubled
  • Real estate values increased dramatically due to home improvements
  • Families were better clothed
  • Attendance at churches and schools improved
  • Factory attendance and work output greatly increased
  • The work of welfare assistance missions was cut in half

(A very similar table was published in The National Statesman and there attributed to "H. Wayne Pyle.")

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