The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-23
Crisis Exists in COuntry'S
Penal System, House
Report Shows.
NEED MORE BUILDINGS
Local JaiIS Filthy Holes
Where Guilty MingIe
With Innocent.
BIZ RAY TUCKER,
Times STAFF Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Brand-
ing many federal prisons and local
iails as schools of crime" tenta-
tive report of the special house
investigating committee appointed
under the Boylan resolution de-
cares that serious crisis" exists
in the nations penal system.
The report, distributed among the
five committee members, has not
been adopted, but is known to en-
body views of the members and
noted criminologists who furnished
advice during the inquiry.
1t recommends construction of
two new federal penitentiaries, one
in the northeast and one in south
ern California, a hospital for S;le
criminally insane, an institution for
Juvenile prisoners, and additional
jails and warehouses for Short-term
prisoners, those awaiting trial and
individuals held as material wit
nesSes.
Overcrowding, tue to lack of facil-
tiles and failure to set I'D a proper
probation system, are he'd chiefly
responsible for existing evils. Only
six of the ninety-two judicial dis
tricts have probation officers, al.
though federal judges informed the
committee that comprehensive
system of parole would permit at
least 5000 prison inmates to re-
enter society.
Jails Are Filthy
'The committee found by personal
observation" reads one paragraph,
land learned through investigations
made at its request, that many of
these jails are urspeakably filthy
and often are nothing less than
schools of crime. There is no sepa-
ration Of the guilty from the inno-
cent, the sick from the well, the
young from the old, or the hard
ened criminals from impressionable
young offenders"
This condition was found to be
especially acute in county and local
jails, where federal prisoners are
boarded out for lack of federal in
situations. The federal government
is powerless to insist on eradication
CT such evils, the committee pointed
out, because its prisoners virtu-
ally are paying guests"
The growing practice of placing
two prisoners in a cell was con-
demned as a vicious practice. 4"
Many prisoners, the report said, are
living in dark, ill-ventilated base
ments and corridors and improvised
dormitories.
"Deplorable conditions" were
found in local institutions. where
more than half of the approximate
prison population of 10000 are in
carcerated
More Help Needed
Offices of the federal authorities
in charge of the prison system, in
Guiding the assistant attorney
eral and the superintendent of pris-
ons, are 'woefully undermined"
the report said. In advocating ex-
tension of the probate system, it
pointed out that release of the 5000
prisoners now eligible would save
the government $4,000 a day.
Immediate action on the recon-
mendationS is asked. Incidentally,
the report contains on criticism of
Mabel Walker Willebrandt for her
practice of placing some of her
subordinates in Atlanta and Leaven-
worth as a check on the prison
authorities at those places.
The committee consists of Rep
resentatives Cooper of Ohio. Kopp
of Iowa, Taber and Boylan of New
York, and Bell of Georgia.