Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-08
MEASURES BEARING
ON INSANE CASES
PLANNED BY BOARD
Seek Simpler Method for
Commitment of Patients
to st. EIizabeth's.
REPORT SHOWS INCREASE
IN PENAL CONFINEMENTS
Cites Greater Development in Prison
Industries, valuing Products
at $215,S54.4s.

A bill providing for indeterminate
prison sentences and another bill elimi-
mating jury trial as one of the incidents
to commitment Of insane persons to ST.
Elizabeths Hospital is being prepared
by the Board of Public Welfare and
will be submitted by the board to Con-
gress at its next regular session, &C
cording to the annual report of the
board made public today.
THE committee on the care of in
sane and feeble minded" the report
says, sis now collecting information
with the view to preparing bill cover
ing the commitment of insane which
will provide for simpler method OF
admission for patients and eliminate
the harshness Of legal procedure en-
tailed by the present laws which re-
quires jury trial and finding that
person is a dangerous lunatic before he
can be admitted to st. Elizabeths Hos
pital"
Increase Over Last Year.
The number of those confined at the
various District penal institutions in
crease over the previous year. In the
jail the number Of prisoners handled
was 12,27l, an increase of 1885, The
daily average number was 529, as
against 464 the previous year. Among
the offences most frequently charged
were intoxication, SIS; vagrancy and
disorderly conduct, 1904; traffic regu-
lations, 1915; larceny and robbery,
1888; assault, 1856; national prohibition
law. 583: all other offences. 1885.
The daily average number at the re-
at rf,1dka rNric0norc
ceiving sentences of one year or more
are confined, was 439, as against 1886
the preceding year. The report states,
however. that this does not indicate an
increase in the number of persons con-
victed, because many Of the prisoners
have heretofore been sent to the pene-
tentiaries at Atlanta and Leavenworth.
Because of the crowded conditions in
the Federal penitentiarieS the Attorney
General has urged that all the District
prisoners be cared for in the local in
stitution. The board intends to submit
estimates within the next year for adj
ditional buildings to accommodate the
extra prisoners.
The daily average number at the
workhouse at OccoQuan was 685, as
compared with 666 the previous year.
The report states that great develop
ment has taken place in prison indus
tries during the year and that the total
value of the products of the industries
is l5,854.49. The industries included
brick, foundry, license plate manufac-
ture. broom factory, canning shop. mat
tress factory, clothing shop and print
shop.
Ask Adequate Investigation.
In the section dealing with child well
fare the report states that If arrange
ments could be made for more adequate
investigation before cases are presented
in court many commitments of children
as wards Of the Board of Public We'll
fare could be avoided. The division of
child welfare during the year investi-
gated sos cases of alleged dependency
and neglect and considered it necessary
to present only So of them to court with
petitions for public guardianship.
The opening of the new ward build
ing at Gallinger is referred to as "the
medical service for the care of the
INDECENT during the year." The in
vestigation Of the service at Gallinger
Hospital is covered in the Board of
Public Welfare's first report on the
subject, in which clean bill Of health
was given to the institution and which
Is attached to the annual report as an
appendix.
The report noted q decline in the
number of patients at the tuberculosis
Hospital. 148 to 129 in the current
year. This decline, the report states,
does not necessarily indicate a perma-
nent decrease, since the figures fuc-
tuate from year to year. 1T is an
encouraging fact" the report continues
however, that not only is the number
of patients in the tuberculosis Hospital
less in proportion to population than
it was some years ago. but that the
prevalence of the disease in the COM
munity has substantially declined"