Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-20
PRISONERS STRAIN
CAPACITY OF JAIL
Twice Too Many Inmates for
Building, Board of Charities
Reports.

Crowded conditions continued at
the District jail during the last fiscal
year, with a daily average of 355
prisoners, as compared with 800 the
previous year, the Board of Charities
told Commissioner Rudolph in its
annual report today.
'On April Ia, 1924, the number of
prisoners was 442 and the institution
cannot properly accommodate more
Sthan about half that number. We
note a comuendable effort on the part
of the criminal courts this Fall to
facilitate the trial of prisoners held
in the Jail, and it is believed that a
vigorous policy in this direction
would result in a material reduction
in the jail population"
Has Prepared Bill
The board again called attention to
the need for establishing the indie
terminate sentence and parole sys-
tenn here. The board stated 1t has
prepared bill along those lines aft
err conference with the justices of the
District Supreme Court. which will be
submitted to the Commissioners for
tranSmittal to Congress.
The proposal now before Congress
to create a board of public welfare in
the District government, in which
would be merged the functions and
powers now divided between the
Board of Charities and the Board of
Childrian's Guardians, was given re-
newed Endorsement by the Board of
Charities in it's report.
THE Board of Charities believes
such a measure would be in the in
terest Of economy and efficiency. and
has expressed its formal approval of
the bill. 1t is respectfully urged that
Congress give 1t early consideration"
The proposed board of public well
fare would be composed of nine MEM
bers appointed by the Commissioners
without. compensation. which board
would have complete and exclusive
control and management over the
several institutions and agencies en-
gagged in penal, correctional and chart
table work.
The board notes that during the
past year there was neither an in
crease nor a decrease in the number
of INDECENT dependents. The only no
ticeable change in volume of service
was the marked increase in the num-
Der of persons treated at the new
psychopathic wards at Gallinger Hos
pital. where the service more than
doubled.
Work at Occ0quan.
In submitting the boards report,
George S. Wilson. secretary. pointed
out that the prisoners at the Deco
guam Workhouse manufactured 3,216,-
400 brick last year, as compared with
only 2,811.S00 the previous year.
The Board of Charities urges that
appropriation be made without delay
to continue building operations at
Gallinger Hospital. The general hos
pital work at Gallinger Is still being
carried on in the old frame buildings,
which the board calls inadequate for
the purpose. Plans for the additional
new structures have been under con-
sideration by the municipal architect
In conjunction with a hospital expert
The Board Of Charities submits
with its report summary of the
work of the Board of Children's
Guardians, showing a slight decrease
last year in the daily average num-
Der of children under care. The ac-
tual number of commitments of chill
dren by the Juvenile Court increased
last year, however, to 404, as. COM
pared with 222 in 1923.
There was a marked increase last
year in the number of lodgings fur.
nished at the old municipal lodging
house. The total was 5,31s. as COM
pared with only 3,513 the preceding
year.
This institution" the board states,
'is still housed in the old converted
residence building on Twelfth street
adjoining the first precinct station.
Although Congress appropriated $3e.-
900 for the erection of a building in
1916. it has been found impossible to
provide anything like satisfactory
building with that small appropria-
ton because Of the greatly increased
cost Of construction that became ef-
fective before the appropriation was
available"