Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-11
A MODEL PENAL SYSTEM FOR DISTRICT

equal number of District prisoners would
go into this class.
"Al prisoners on parole remain in the
legal custody and control of the authori-
ties of the institution from which they
have been released until the expiration OF
the full term specified in their sentence.
The conditions upon which they are pa
rolled require that they shall have en-
ployment: that they shall avoid evil as
sociations: live an orderly life and alb
stain from the use of intoxicating liquors
as a beverage: other conditions peculiar
to the individual or his case may be inn
posed.
"Supervision under these circumstances
must be systematic. and requires care and
intelligence on the part of the authorities
having the cases in charge.
with the JAIL the workhouse and re-
fOrmatory, maintained by the District I'M
der the methods hereinbefore recommend
ed, the management and control of these
institutions should be vested in a single
head appointed by and responsible to the
District Commissioners.
Commissioner of Correction.
"This officer should have some such
title as commissioner of correction. He
should be chairman of a board, to be
known a board of management and
parole consisting.of himself and two other
members, one'of whom should be one of
the District Coccissioners, and the other
a prominent citizen of the District, the
latter serving without pay.
Besides passing upon cases OF parole,
this board should constitute an advisory
council to the commissioner of correction
in the management of these institutions.
1t would take charge of all moneys earned
by prisoners while in confinement and UNI
der rules and regulations disburse the
same to the prisoners families and to the
prisoners themselves while on parole. or
even after their full terms have expired.
I'm passing upon all applications for pa
role care should be taken to see that the
privilege is not extended to habitual or
professional criminals, even when they
have earned all the marks provided for by
the prison system. This class should be
completely identified and the justice of
their detention fully established.
Identification of Criminals.
ITO this end there should be kept and
classified the measurements of all SEN
fenced prisoners. Bureaus for this pur-
pose are maintained in many of the
states and are carried on with success.
THE United States also conducts bu-
reau of criminal identification. and ex-
changes records with officials of state in
situations. These records consist of pho
tographs and description cards of the an
thropometric system. known as the Ber-
tillon system. and also what are known
as finger-print records.
Since 1885, through the aid of these
records. the Department of Justice has
successfully identified over 1900 crim-
nails who have been convicted and SEN
fenced more than once. Such system
would be invalua BILE in admins tering the
parole law In the District.
when a reformatory and a new work.
house shall have been established on the
lines here recommended a parole law
should be enacted in accordance with the
principles above set forth and should
embrace, as we believe, system of
credits to prisoners on account of their
earnings.