APPENDIX. 
A DIGEST OF STATE LAWS RELATING TO THE USE OF CONVICT LABOR FOR ROAD WORK. 
By L. E. Boykin, Assistant in Road Economic Investigations, Division of Road Eco- 
nomics. 
In the last few years there has been a notable increase in the 
number of States which permit the use of prison labor in highway 
work or in the preparation of road materials. During the year 1915 
26 of the 44 State legislatures which were in session enacted new 
legislation bearing on the subject. At the present time all but two 
States have laws authorizing such use. There follows a brief digest 
of such general laws as were in force in the several States January 1 , 
1916. Numerous special laws also exist in many States, but they 
have only a local or special application, and no attempt has been 
made to include their provisions in this digest. 
Alabama. 
State. — An amendment to the constitution was voted, August, 1907, authorizing the 
legislature to appropriate part or all of the net proceeds from the State convict fund to 
the construction, repair, and maintenance of public roads. In pursuance of the author- 
ity thus conferred the legislature, by act of April 5, 1911, appropriated from said State 
convict fund the sum of $154,000 annually to be apportioned, after making the deduc- 
tion allowed by law for the salaries and expenses of the State highway commission, 
equally among the several counties of the State. 
Counties. — The convicts of any county or municipality may be worked upon the 
public roads, bridges, or ferries of the county, or in quarries, gravel pits, or any plant 
used for the production of road materials, under the direction of the court of county 
commissioners or board of revenue; or said convicts may be hired to or from another 
county or from the State. No female convict shall be so worked, but may cook and 
prepare meals for road crews. (Acts 1915, No. 505.) 
Courts of county commissioners, boards of revenue, or other like governing bodies 
of the several counties, may work county and State convicts on the public roads and 
bridges of their respective counties; and they may hire their county convicts to, hire 
from, or exchange with, other counties, under such terms as may be mutually agreed 
upon for the purpose of building and maintaining the public roads. Said governing 
bodies of the several counties may contract with the State convict department for 
State convicts to be used for a like purpose, under such regulations as may be pre- 
scribed by the said State convict department. They may also purchase necessary 
cells, tents, equipment, and clothing, hire sufficient guards, and provide proper med- 
ical treatment. Said governing bodies may pay all expenses incident to employing 
such convicts out of any funds available for road and bridge work in their respective 
counties. (Acts 1915, No. 580.) 
Arizona. 
State. — The State board of control may cause persons sentenced to imprisonment in 
the State prison to work upon the construction, repair, or maintenance of State roads, 
highways, and bridges in the several counties, on request of the county supervisors 
thereof, and in conformity to the directions and specifications of the State engineer. 
When the board of control shall decide so to work such convicts, the secretary of said 
board shall notify the superintendent of the State prison to furnish such number of 
men as the board may direct and cause them to be removed to the place or places where 
such work is to be done. All implements, tools, machinery, supplies of every kind, 
all animals necessary for the prosecution of such work, and suitable shelter for men 
and animals shall be purchased^ and provided by said board of control. The State 
engineer may establish and maintain camps or enclosures for the men so employed 
and, with the approval of the board of control, make and provide suitable methods of 
enforcing rules and regulations for governing the men while so employed. When the 
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