The membership of this Committee is now twenty-one women who represent seven societies, namely, the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Civic Club, New Century Club, Young Women’s Christian Association, Christian League, and Mothers’ Club. The usual attendance is from eight to twelve members. Reports are received from all the Matrons at each meeting. There are twenty-two. The fourteenth district (Germantown) was supplied with a Matron in March, 1906. The effort is made that each Matron shall receive at least one visit a month. The meeting of the Conference of Charities in Philadelphia in May last brought us unusual interest in the work of Police Matrons elsewhere, and we formed a permanent committee to secure knowledge of it in other cities, and comparison of methods with them. At several meetings of this year, four Matrons at a time were invited to meet with the Committee, and offer suggestions and state experiences requiring help and study. The Needle Work Guild coöperates with the Committee for supplying clothing to the Matrons for their use with needy women and children under their care. Mrs. Fletcher, our Senior Matron, completed her twentieth year of service, and was given a reception by the Committee, at which the Directors and other officials were present. In this time she has had 9,000 women and 2,900 children under her care. The Director of Public Safety, Robert McKenty, has been especially interested in an effort to give personal help to erring women and girls, and extends every facility for our communication with such, by directing the Lieutenants to coöperate with our efforts to redeem them from disgrace and despair. The numbers given in our reports are, of course, from twenty-two districts only. There are fourteen others without Matrons, where many women and children are received. We have been assured that a Matron will be appointed in West Philadelphia very soon, and there is also a prospect of more effective systematic work in coöperation and supervision of this branch of police administration.
STATISTICS
(Except as to totals and conditions when received, statistics cannot be made absolutely accurate, especially as to “Nationality and Disposal.”)
| Women under care from January, 1906, to January, 1907 | 9,295 |
| Arrested | 7,475 |
| Lost or seeking shelter | 379 |
| Mothers | 2,898 |
| Intoxicated | 3,679 |
| White | 6,502 |
| Colored | 2,288 |
| Disposals. | |
|---|---|
| Discharged with and without fines | 2,074 |
| Sent to Reformatories | 672 |
| House of Correction | 923 |
| County Prison | 2,255 |
| Americans | 5,320 |
| Foreigners | 2,934 |
| Children under care from January, 1906, to January, 1907 | 6,839 |
| Arrested | 3,417 |
| Lost or ran away | 2,846 |
| White | 5,497 |
| Colored | 651 |
| Brought with parents | 468 |
| Disposals. | |
| Sent home | 4,695 |
| S. P. C. C. and Aid Society | 387 |
| Charities and Reformatories | 449 |
| House of Detention and Juvenile Court | 572 |
Respectfully submitted,
Mrs. P. W. Lawrence.
CHESTER COUNTY PRISON
William Scattergood, President of the Board of Inspectors, makes weekly visits to this prison, and reports it in good condition. It is considered a model prison. Deborah C. Leeds, a member of the Acting Committee, has also visited it during the year.
COUNTY PRISON AT MEDIA
Deborah C. Leeds has visited this prison several times during the year, and reports it a well conducted institution.