How did the Volstead Act affect the crime rates in the 1920s?
The National Prohibition Act (1919) called for the banning of liquor in local bars. It provided the implement of the 18th amendment to the U.S. Constitution enabling the National Prohibition of liqour. The 18th amendment simply stated that the "manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating drinks within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited" and that "Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." This law was called the Volstead Act after Congressman Andrew J. Volstead who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The bill was vetoed by President Woodrow Wilson on both constitutional and ethical grounds but overridden by Congress on the same day, October 28, 1919."
"The Volstead Act was officially titled "An act to prohibit intoxicating beverages, and to regulate the manufacture, production, use, and sale of high-proof spirits for other than beverage purposes, and to insure an ample supply of alcohol and promote its use in scientific research and in the development of fuel, dye, and other lawful industries." Thus, its title identified its three distinct purposes (1) to "prohibit intoxicating beverages," (2) "to regulate the manufacture, production, use and sale of high proof spirits for other than beverage purposes," and (3) to "insure an ample supply of alcohol and promote its use in scientific research and in the development of fuel, dye and other lawful industries."
The Rules:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/Volstead-Act.html
"In addition to the murders of law enforcement officers an even more common cause of death and disability were bootlegger's hastily-made illegal products that were sometimes toxic and caused paralysis, blindness and death."
"It became very difficult to convict those who violated Prohibition because public support for the law and its enforcement eroded dramatically. For example, of 7,000 arrests in New York between 1921 and 1923, only 27 resulted in convictions. 8 That is a conviction rate of only one for every 260 arrests."
"Where on Manhattan Island can you buy liquor? ANSWER: In open saloons, restaurants, night clubs, bars behind a peephole, dancing academies, drugstores, delicatessens, cigar stores, confectioneries, soda fountains, behind partitions of shoeshine parlors, back rooms of barbershops, from hotel bellhops, from hotel headwaiters, from hotel day clerks, night clerks, in express offices, in motorcycle delivery agencies, paint stores . . .importing firms, tearooms, moving van companies, spaghetti houses, boardinghouses, Republican clubs, Democratic clubs, laundries . ."
With this quote it just simply states that the American race was at an all time low. It just goes to show how much they were willing to lose to find liquor and one of these places was a speakeasy. A secret bar that illegally sold liquor to the public. They could be found almost anywhere around town. In peoples homes, behind resturaunts, you could even buy liquor from your local pharmacies.
"In addition to speakeasies, the American populous also came up with innovative ways to circumvent the law. They used hip flasks, false books, coconut shells, hot water bottles and garden hoses to transport illegal liquor. People also stored the contraband in prams with babies perched on top and in carpenter's aprons with big fat pockets. One man was even caught hustling liquor over the border in two boxes of eggs: He had drained the eggs of their original content and refilled them with liquor." http://www.albany.edu/~wm731882/speakeasies_final.html
Video on Prohibtion in the 1920's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiYqFXmVAFg
"The Volstead Act was officially titled "An act to prohibit intoxicating beverages, and to regulate the manufacture, production, use, and sale of high-proof spirits for other than beverage purposes, and to insure an ample supply of alcohol and promote its use in scientific research and in the development of fuel, dye, and other lawful industries." Thus, its title identified its three distinct purposes (1) to "prohibit intoxicating beverages," (2) "to regulate the manufacture, production, use and sale of high proof spirits for other than beverage purposes," and (3) to "insure an ample supply of alcohol and promote its use in scientific research and in the development of fuel, dye and other lawful industries."
The Rules:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/Volstead-Act.html
- You may drink intoxicating liquor in your own home or in the home of a friend when you are a bona fide guest.
- You may buy intoxicating liquor on a bona fide medical prescription of a doctor. A pint can be bought every ten days.
- You may consider any place you live permanently as your home. If you have more than one home, you may keep a stock of liquor in each.
- You may keep liquor in any storage room or club locker, provided the storage place is for the exclusive use of yourself, family or bona fide guests.
- You may get a permit to move liquor when you change your residence.
- You may manufacture, sell or transport liquor for non-beverage or sacramental purposes provided you obtain a Government permit.
- You cannot carry a hip flask.
- You cannot give away or receive a bottle of liquor as a gift.
- You cannot take liquor to hotels or restaurants and drink it in the public dining room.
- You cannot buy or sell formulas or recipes for homemade liquors.
- You cannot ship liquor for beverage use.
- You cannot store liquor in any place except your own home.
- You cannot manufacture anything above one half of one percent (liquor strength) in your home.
- You cannot display liquor signs or advertisements on your premises.
- You cannot remove reserve stocks from storage. 1
"In addition to the murders of law enforcement officers an even more common cause of death and disability were bootlegger's hastily-made illegal products that were sometimes toxic and caused paralysis, blindness and death."
"It became very difficult to convict those who violated Prohibition because public support for the law and its enforcement eroded dramatically. For example, of 7,000 arrests in New York between 1921 and 1923, only 27 resulted in convictions. 8 That is a conviction rate of only one for every 260 arrests."
"Where on Manhattan Island can you buy liquor? ANSWER: In open saloons, restaurants, night clubs, bars behind a peephole, dancing academies, drugstores, delicatessens, cigar stores, confectioneries, soda fountains, behind partitions of shoeshine parlors, back rooms of barbershops, from hotel bellhops, from hotel headwaiters, from hotel day clerks, night clerks, in express offices, in motorcycle delivery agencies, paint stores . . .importing firms, tearooms, moving van companies, spaghetti houses, boardinghouses, Republican clubs, Democratic clubs, laundries . ."
With this quote it just simply states that the American race was at an all time low. It just goes to show how much they were willing to lose to find liquor and one of these places was a speakeasy. A secret bar that illegally sold liquor to the public. They could be found almost anywhere around town. In peoples homes, behind resturaunts, you could even buy liquor from your local pharmacies.
"In addition to speakeasies, the American populous also came up with innovative ways to circumvent the law. They used hip flasks, false books, coconut shells, hot water bottles and garden hoses to transport illegal liquor. People also stored the contraband in prams with babies perched on top and in carpenter's aprons with big fat pockets. One man was even caught hustling liquor over the border in two boxes of eggs: He had drained the eggs of their original content and refilled them with liquor." http://www.albany.edu/~wm731882/speakeasies_final.html
Video on Prohibtion in the 1920's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiYqFXmVAFg