Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-18
REPORTS ON THE JAIL
Attorney General Makes Rec
ommendation to Congress.
ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
Health, Discipline and Safe-Keeping
of Inmates Endangered.
ASKS REMOVAL OF PRISONERS
Mr.. Bonaparte Also Discusses Re-
form School for Girls and Train
ing School for Boys.

Something should be done at once to
relieve the congested condition of the
District jail. in the opinion of Attorney
General Bonaparte. He has called the
attention of Congress to the situation in
his annual report. While the jail re-
mains as 1t is, he declares, the health,
discipline and safe-keeping of the in
mates are endangered.
THE attention of the department was
called recently" he says. Ito the condi-
ton of the Jail in the District of CO.
lumbia. which had become SO crowded by
reason of the large number of prisoners
confined there as to render it inappro-
pirate as place of confinement and
to endanger the health, discipline and
safe-keeping of its inmates. Under the
authority conferred upon me by law,
directed the removal of a large number
Of prisoners to the Jail at Fort Smith,
Ark, which had become nearly empty by
reason of the admission of Oklahoma to
statehood.
Affords Temporary Relief.
This measure temporarily relieved the
congestion. but the relief has been tenn
porary only, and conditions have again
become very unsatisfactory in the Dis
trict by reason of the inadequate pro-
vision for the detention of criminals. l
respectfully urge upon the Congress the
necessity of prompt and effective action
in dealing with this situation. If it be
deemed advisable to await the report of
the commission recently appointed to con-
that provision be made for the temporary
custody of prisoners now confined in the
jail In such places of provisional deten-
ton as can be secured for this purpose.
C,yah 4tt
by considerable expense, but the case is
urgent. and grave consequences may re-
suit from any undue delay in dealing
with it,
The Attorney General goes on to say
that October 81, 1908, there were con-
fined in the Jail $40 prisoners. There
were received during the year 1850
prisoners. and 3.713 were discharged.
The highest number in confinement
during the year was 6S5, and the low
est 421, the average daily population
being 547.
Reform School for Girls.
The Attorney General has the following
to say about the Reform School for Girls:
THE report of the board Of trustees for
the Reform School for Girls shows the
daily average number in confinement dur
ing the year to have been seventy-seven.
Thirty-fOur were committed during the
year and twenty-nine were bound out
1.-THE report says that the school is be-
ing severely taxed; that rather than re-
fuse to receive additional commitments
it has sought to provide space for new
corners by releasing the more deserving
and utilizing the hospital and rooms ordi-
narily needed for other purposes. The
board urges that the capacity of the
school be materially increased. The board
again asks consideration Of the recon-
mendation made in prior reports for an
appropriation Of $50 900 for an additional
school building. since it is confronted with
the necessity of either releasing girls or
of refusing to receive new commitments.
Training School for Boys.
There were confined in the National
Training School for Boys June 80, 1908,
325 prisoners. OF this number 22S were
from the District of Columbia and 81
were United States prisoners The aver
age number of prisoners confined during
the year was 300 per day. The main
and D and E family buildings. for the
construction of which appropriations have
been made by Congress. have been COM
pleted during the year.