The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-13
Lou Bail Bonds Are
Productive of Crime
By BILL PRICE.

After long period of ambasting the Police De-
partment for alleged nadequacy and unftness to cope
with the worst and most prolonged crime wave in that
ctys history, the public, the Judges and police Of
ficals of New York are fast reaching the conclusion
that low bail bonds productive of crime as moth
ing ese in that they turn back to their illegal oper
atoms most dangerous criminals, who find 1T easy to
furnish the low bonds formerly fixed by the courts
The judges and prosecuting officials, after confer
ence, have decided to make the requirements more
stringent, and sanctioned program OF increasing the
bonds of men and women now free through low ball
Where the offenders had criminal records have been
arrested for committing other crimes since their ar
rest, the increase has been substantial
The Judges have determined that If heavier bonds
be easily given they will further increase the re-
quirements.
The course taken in New York should have the at
tenton of Washington Judges prosecuting officials
and police. Washin gton criminals find it compare
lively easy to give the bonds required OF them and
if they disposed they promptly return to fields
of crime fully OF the fact that they may not be
brought to trial for months or years.
Very often hear of Congress threatening to IN
vestgate" the increase of crime in the District. If it
does So and will listen to facts concerning It's own
responsibility for this condition, it may take action
that will insure quick and speedy punishment for Of
tenders against the law.
Congress has been told time and time again that
the judges of the courts of the District trying Grim
inal cases absolutely swamped with work that
many criminal are not brought to trial for
and that the United SCateS
knowing this fact and finding the District Jail clog
ged the limit is practically compelled to accept bonds
as an act of justice to those who may be innocent OF
crimes they charged with
The courts and laws commanding the greatest re-
spect from dangerous criminals those which lose
little time in arragning volators The criminal who
understands that he give bond and go free for
long periods before trial. during which the prosecu
TONS witnesses away, die, may be tempered
WITH doesn't have half much to worry about as If
he knew his arrangement would be speedy and his pun
ishment severe, if convicted
Congress is about to increase the number Of Federal
Judges in the States but has taken steps to
out the repeated urgngs of Washington people that the
criminal and civil calendars of local courts
iammed with litigation that great injustice is done
those entitled to have their disposed OF within
reasonable time.
request of Congress will take to that body data
that will be not only surprising but shocking as to the
congestion of the Supreme Court of the District, the
main trial body of this jurisdiction.
But even if this congestion is to continue without
relief from Congress in the way of more judges and
larger staff of prosecuting officials there should be
heavy increase in bail bonds for those with criminal
records even if the Jail and commitment institutions
do overflow