The Washington herald., 1912-03-02
STAY At 0CG0QUAN
UNTIL REFORMED
Indefinite Terms for Pris.
oners Urged by the
Superintendent.
PAROLE BOARD JUDGES
Radical Change in Police Court
Sentences to Workhouse Is
Recommended.

Recommendation for the amendment OF
the law so as to provide for the commit
ment of prisoners to Occoquan for an in
definite length of time. not TO exceed two
years. is embodied in the annual report
of w. II. Whitaker. superintendent Of
the District Workhouse. soon to be made
public in printed form. The recommended
tion Is In accordance with the plans of
George s. Wilson. secretary OF the Board
Of Charities. which has direct supervision
OF the institution. The plan provides for
the establishment OF a parole board for
the purpose OF Hberating the prisoners as
coon as reformation Is assured.
Mr.. Whitaker also recommends the es-
tablishment Of a reformatory where the
younger prisoners may be educated and
taught some trade. The superintendent
expresses the opinion that many of the
present inmates Of the institution are too
young to be placed in a workhouse.
Opposes short Sentences.
THE workhouse sentences OF fifteen
and thirty days" reads the report. ''as
to-day administered in our police courts.
should be eliminated by law. giving the
tribunals the power OF sentencing all
guilty defendants in petty offenses to the
workhouse for an indefinite period. Time
Is required for any penal institution to
bring to bear upon its inmates the neces-
sity OF good citizenship. Therefore, 4
law that compels the management 10 dis
charge an inmate after a short period is
detriment, not only TO the offender, but
to society as we'll"
The superintendent suggests that de-
generates. confirmed criminals, and ab-
normal subjects. which constitute 80 per
cent Of the prison and reformatory popu-
lation in the country, should be kept in
the workhouse until they have entirely
reformed.
With respect to the need of a reforma-
tory in connection with the workhouse,
Mr.. Whitaker says:
MANY Of the inmates now sent here
are OF an age that should not be sent to
a workhouse. There should be a reforma-
tory where such young persons should be
placed, for reformation will not OBJ
tanned In the case Of such inmates unless
they are given a. good common school
education under a thorough and practical
instructor, and unless they are taught
some useful trade which will enable them.
after they have gained their freedom. to
obtain usful and remunerative employ
ment."
On n short Basis.
The report states that the institution
Is on a sound basis. and that the prison.
ers are healthy and obedIent. The work
house is situated on a tract OF land con-
tanning approximately l.l50 acres. II is
located between Lorton station. on the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad, and the town OF occoquan, on
the occoauan River, twenty-four miles
south Of Washington. The report states
that when the Institution was established
there were only twenty-nlne prisoners.
At present the workhouse has a capac-
ity Of 800 inmates. and is well equipped
10 handle this number. When the work.
house vas established one guard was
assigned TO a squd of six prisoners. but
after some experience II was deemed ex-
pedient to place twenty inmates under the
surveillance Of each guard. This assign
ment has worked will. and there have
been comparatively few escapes, says
the report. During the early months OF
the occupancy of the Occoquan site. the
tract was covered with a thick under
growth. and this fact demanded that a
small number of PRISONERS be assigned
to each guard. The underbrush has
since been cleared away. and the former
strict surveillance is unnecessary, ac-
cordink to the superintendent.
Health conditions at the institution
have exceptionally good. according to the
report, which further states: There is
absolutely no malaria. The inmates are
gwen the open air treatment, and flourish
under II. The prisoners are given good,
wholesome. and substantial food, which
is well cooked. They are treated with
by the employees Of the
There is plenty of hard, hon
est toll for the prisoners which keeps
them in excellent health.
During the last year there were but
nine deaths. five caused by pneumonia
and four the result Of alcoholism. There
were no epidemics. Prisoners serving an
average sentence OF thirty days gained
between one and eighteen pounds in
weight during their Sojourn, and 96 per
cent OF all inmates showed a decided i'm
provement in physical condition.
Soon scIf-sustaIninE. !
Mr.. Whitaker firmly believes that the
institution in a short time will be self
sustaining. Agricultural pursuits ere be-
ing followed by the prisoners. but no
returns from these activities are expect
ed for four Of five years. The prisoners.
however, are raising enough garden
vegetables to supply the demands Of the
institution The workhouse has hfty-
nine head OF horses and mules, and 1s2
pigs
With the aid Of a stone crushe-, the
inmates have constructed walks and roads
through the grounds, and have shipped
900 cubic yards of material TO Washing
,on for use By the District government
Mr.. Whitaker says that there is plenty
ot stone in the vicinity. and that this
industry alone, II properly developed, will
make the workhouse self-supporting. Rec
is made for the installation
v additional machinery. so as to make
possible the daily delivery OF 800 cubic
ards OF crushed stone to the city.
A large number OF the prisoners are
Employed at the brick Plant recently
completed. There Il an abundance OF
rood clay and 3hele on the site, and
he plant promists to be o. OF thu FAC
ors in making fthe institution self-sup-
,Crting. Two kiJns are now in operation.
A wharf has besn constructed on the
'ank OF Occoquen Rivcr for the purpose
u making the Sorkhouso easily accessi-
lie bY water. fhe siruCture is l6l feet