Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-19
HAS APLAN T0CUT
TERMS Of OFFENDERS
Committee Drafting a Bill for an In.
determinate Sentence and
Parole Law.

Not only the District workhouse. but
the reformatory which Is to house the
Districts long-term prisoners. may be
operated under an tndeterminate SEN
tence and parole law.
The plan originally contemplated. OF
having the short-term prisoners sent
to the workhouse under an indetermi
nate sentence so that their release
could be determined by their conduct
and the rapidity with which they con-
dition themselves to return to society.
10 to be extended to the reformatory
and made applicable to the men and
women convicted on more serious Of
lenses, If plans now under considera-
tion materialize.
Drafting of an fndeterminate sentence
and parole law is now in the hands of
committee, consisting of Justice Wen
dell P. Stafford of the District Supreme
Court, w. H. Whitaker, superintendent
of Occoquan; Conrad II. Syme. corpora
ton counsel: John Joy Edison. president
OF the board of charities, and George S.
Wilson, secretary of the board of chari-
ties.
To Provide for Direct Commitment.
The committee expects to meet short
ly and put the finishing touches on
bill to be made applicable to both the
workhouse and reformatory, to be in
troduced in Congress early during the
coming session.
The bill also will provide for direct
commitments to Occoquan. At present
there is no law by which prisoners can
be sentenced directly to this institu-
ton. They are committed to the Jail,
but the Commissioners have authority
in their discretion to transfer prisoners
from the Jail to the workhouse.
frv t<rN- rnvy rrrfy NY n
. which has begun, will take care of the
long-term prisoners who are now sent
to the federal penitentiaries in Atlanta
and Fort Leavenworth.
The first step in the building Of the
reformatory is the construction of an
Industrial railroad. TO lead from the
reformatory site through the workhouse
property to Occoquan creek. where the
brick plant. stOne-crushfng plant and
other workhouse industries are located.
Rapid progress is being made on this
work. and it is expected that the first
mile and a half of the line will be in
operation by Christmas
CASTOR Material to occoquan.
Supt. Whitaker. who, 1t is expected,
will be placed at the head of both in
situations. recently has made an az
rangement with the District whereby
all old wagons, engineering imple-
nentS ana TOOLS ana other properly
that ordinarily Is sold as junk is now
sent TO the workhouse, where 1t IL
worked over and repaired for use on
the workhouse tract In this way he
has acquired at no cost tools and i'm
plements which will be used In the
construction of the reformatory. Pr1s-
on la Dor is being employed in the de-
velopment of the reformatory. just as
IL was in the building of Occoquan.
The workhouse today was visited by
Commissioner Brownlow and Maj. Pull
man, superintendent of police. Recent
iy Commissioner Newman made trip
70 Occoquan. The Commissioners an
uually look over this and other of the
Districts charitable. correctional and
penal institutions prior to providing
for their needs in the annual estimates
II is understood that the Forthcoming
estimates will provide an appropria-
ton of SIS, 900 for continuing the work
on the reformatory, for which only
$4,000 has been appropriated thus far