Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-29
JAIL REFORM REPORT
Commissioners Submit Plans
to Congress
FOR TWO NEW BUILDINGS
One to Be Reformatory and One
Workhouse.
TO BE WIDELY SEPARATE
Purchase of Lands in Virginia or
Maryland in 1,OOO-Acre Tracts
Is Recommended
TO BE WIDELY SEPARATE

Practical measures for carrying out AT
once the recommendations of the Jail
commission. composed of Justice w p.
Stafford John Joy Edison and Robert
V. LaDow. made in it's recent report to
Congress. were recommended to Congress
today by the Commissioners. The legis
lation recommended follows in general
lines that suggested by the penal COM
! mission.
| In general the recommendations are as
follows:
That to the $4,000 recently appropri-
ated for the construction of an additional
building at the workhouse $4,000 be add
ed and the entire sum Of 100000 be used.
as suggested by the Jail commission, for
the purchase of two tracts of 1000 acres
each and the erection thereon of tempo
rary structures for the accommodation
of prisoners while engaged in building the
permanent structures.
That these two tracts of land he pur-
chased in either Maryland or Virginia,
and not in the District of Columbia, as
no such amount of land is available in
the District
That $4,000 be appropriated for the
preparation of plans for the reformatorN
and the workhouse to be built on the two
/ tracts of land.
| That an adult probation system be es-
ttablished in the District, in accordance
with the recommendations of the jail COM
| mission.
Early Action Urged.
Commissioner Macfarland said today
that the Commissioners hoped with the
penal commission that the legislation
would be enacted at this session of Con-
gress, in view Of the pressing need for
it set forth in the Presidents message and
! the report of the penal commission.
Under that report the courts would have
power to place upon probation, under
| the supervision of probation officers,
salaried and volunteer. any convict. ex-
cept in cases of treason, murder, rape.
arson or KIDNAPPING. Prisoners convicted
| of perltentiary offenSes and not placed
upon probation would be sent to federal
nitentiary, presumably at Atlanta.
Prisoners of the workhouse type and
| not placed upon probation. would be sent
! to the proposed workhouse, and other
offenders believed to be capable of refor-
nation would be sent to the reformatory.
Each of the latter institutions would be
| placed. the Commissioner said, upon a
! tract of not less than a thousand acres.
the two tracts to be widely separated
| from each other, and be selected either
in Maryland or Virginia. since tracts of
| that size could not be had at reasonable
| price in the District of Columbia. 1t is
| De1eSeu Dy lHc AiIdt
able tracts can be had at a very low
price within easy access of Washington
| The penal commission recommended
that temporary structures be erected upon
these tracts and that the offenders be
put to work improving them. The penal
commission estimated that 100000 would
provide the tracts of land required and
the temporary structures, and expressed
the hope that they might be ready for oc-
cupancy before the first of July. The
object, said the Commissioner, is TO re-
move the disgraceful conditions at the
Jail. and to improve the condition of the
! workhouse convicts.
Present Bids Held Up
| Commissioner Macfarland said that the
Commissioners have held up the oids
which they received last summer for the
expenditure of the $50 go appropriation
for an administration wing In the pres
| ent workhouse, with the consent of Con-
gress, until Congress shalt act upon the
new proposition, and that the Conmis-
sioners had recommended that that ap-
Ipropriation be made available by Congress
| for the new proposition. so that only the
| remainder of the SlOO,Uo estimated by
| the penal commission would have to he
newly appropriated Besides this, the
penal commission recommended and the
Commissioners indorsed the proposition
that $4,000 be appropriated. for the prep
aration of plans and the preliminary work
| for a permanent rcformatory and tor
permanent workhOuse. The reformatory
and the Workhouse are to be under the
direction of the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia Commissioner Mac
farland said that he believed that carly
enactment of this legislation would mean
great step forward In the treatment OF
its criminals.
Copies Ordered Printed.
At the request of Senator Gallinger,
| chairman of the District of Columbia
! committee the Senate today ordered
printed LOCO additional copies of the re-
port Of the Commissioners appointed by
the President to investigate the condition
of the local workhouse and other penal
institutions of the District of Columbia.
In making the request Mr. Gallinger
said:
IF the suggestions contained in this
| report are adopted by Congress condi-
| tions existing in the District of Columbia
that are a reproach to civilization will be
remedied