Evening star., 1927-07-17
JAIL. 4DEPLORAB[E,'
EFFICIENCY REPORT
ADVISES D. c. HEADS
Urges Reconstruction of En-.
tire Plant and Services Of
Social Worker.
ovERcR0WDING IS HELD,
GREATEST MENACE NOW
Brown Requests Commissioners 10
Name Committee to Map Con.
gress Recommendation.

Name Committee to Map Con.
gress Recommendations.
Conditions at the District Jan ara
still "deplorable," and will continue
so even after the new wing, which
was built as a direct result Of the ex.
posure Of the insanitary and over.
crowded conditions by Pete Martin"
or The Star stat. has been occupied
this Fall, according to q report just
made to the District Commissioner
by the Bureau Of Efficiency, following
careful and detailed survey at the
request OF the Gibson subcommittee
OF the House District committee and
the District Commissioners.
Thorough reconstruction of the On.
tire jail plant. including the north.
south and west wings. Is required, the
eHciency experts report. They recon.
mend the appointment OF a special
commission to draw plans for the re.
construction Of these three old
wings, to be submitted to the House
and Senate District committees sa
soon as Congress meets. -
Officers Arc Praised.
Removal Of short-term prisoners
now held in the jail to the workhouse
at Occoquan and the opening Of the
new wing. will make possible the
evacuation Of one entire wing. which
could then be reconstructed, and the
other two wings in turn. This op-
portunity to bring the entire plant
up to a modern humane system of
caring for those under restraint be.
cause they are charged with offend.
Ing against society should not be
neglected, those who have made an In
tenSive study Of the situation ak the
Jail emphasize. .t.-
+ The report expresses appreciation
OF the willingness shown by the on.
GERS In charge Of the Jail, especially
M. M. Barnard, superintendent OF
prisons. and w. L. Peak, assistant
superintendent at the. Jail. In doing
everything possible to improve condi.
tons In the institution under existing
The District Commissioners have
been requested by Herbert d. Brown,
chief OF the Bureau Of Efficiency: to
appoint committee consisting Of the
director Of public welfare, the munich
pal architect and DR.. II. II. Hart, cor.
sultant In penology Of the Russell
Sage Foundation. to draw up plans
for the Reconstruction OF these three
old wings, to be submitted TO Con.
gress for the earliest t1Aesible conad.
Grafton. ~. r.s-- 49,
Social Worker Urged.
Employment Of q social worker &C
the Jail out of appropriations now avail
able for increased personnel Is q fer.
ward step in welfare work that the
Bureau OF Efficiency strongly recon-.
mends. explaining that the institution
now has no chaplain or other onicer
whose duty 1t Is to look after the
personal welfare Of the prisoners.
Criticism has been directed at the
District government for failure to
provide legal counsel for prisoners
needing It. but it is evident, according
to the Bureau Of Enciency report.
that what is needed ii q trained
worker who will look after. prisoners
needs not only with reference to pro.
tecting them from "shyster" lawyers
and securing proper legal counsel, but
also with regard to getting them In
touch with relatives, friends or other
agencies which can help them during
and especially on release.
Such worker should aid also In pro.
viding for regular setting.up exercises.
recreation, reading, enter.
tainment and religious services for
prisoners. He should meet every
prisoner when he enters tho fail, fol.
lowing an official and medical inspec.
ton.
cit is well recognized. the sfficiency
report states. that the reduction OF
crime Is largely a matter Of reducing
the number Of recidivists. in penal
institutions. The District provides q
staff Of trained workers to look after
It's 1000 juvenile wards. yet It pro
vides not a single worker to help
reclaim any Of the 10000 men and
who annually pass through its
Jail, most Of whom are youths In their
twenties. Y
Furnishings Are Prepared.
Although Congress failed to provide
funds for furnishing the new wing,
which will be ready for occupancy IN
October, due to the failure OF so many
items behind the Sen.
lte filibuster In the closing days Of the
Congress. the Bureau Of
efficiency has negotiated for furnish.
ngs for the new wing from the sur.
,lus supplies Of the Veterans Bureau.
This makes possible the opening Of
his new east wing this FAN. which
With the transfer Of part, at least, Of
he short.term men prisoners to Deco
luan, will make possible the complete
Of the north wing. The
work of completely modernizing the
all is expected to continue with the
reconstruction Of the, interior Of the
forth, south and west wings.
The Bureau OF Ediciency in IFS rs.
,ort has advised that before perma.
iently transferring prisoners from the
'outh to the north wing. the latter.
should be reconstructed on modern
ines. the transfer then made and the
outh wing reconstructed. 81
; Such a plan.- the Bureau Of Enict.
,ncy says. should provide for the
'roper classification and Segregation
( prisoners according to age. pfsvious
record, physical condition. criminal
harge and general character, a. we'll
IS race. It should provide adequate
eceiyins rooms. dining rooms. hos.
'ital. baths and workroorf1s. 1T should
.iso provide adequate exercise faeil-
ties. -
Must Be Reconstructed.
In the natural course Of events,
hese three old wings must be recon.
tructed In the very near future. the
experts advise. ! At this
ime. when tho population Of the AL
3 small enough to permit eIaptying
ne entire wing, It 10 propitious 70
'egin this reconstruction, officials: BE-.
leye. To wait for even n few years.
vhen due to the natural growth. OF the
tty or to other conditions. the jail
ecomes crowded. again. would show
,reat lack Of foresight, they insist.