Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-12
LAW ENFORCEMENT
JOBSEEKERS CUT
BY F|NGERPR|NT|NG
One in 20 Had Criminal
Record in Year Ending
June 80, 1881.
REDUCTION ATTRIBUTED
TO WIDER KNOWLEDGE
Results in Prohibition Bureau Are
Particularly Startling, Says
Civil Service Commission.

| The deadly efficacy of fingerprinting
| in turning up hunted men and barring
| the records of those whose past will
| not stand close scrutiny is working to
reduce the number of applicants for
| positions in the law enforcement
branches Of the Government and in
the Post Office Department
This was made known today at the
| Civil Service Commission. where it was
! said that for the year ending June 30
| last, records showed l in 20 persons
! seeking employment in these two cate
| gorieS had previously been fingerprint-
! ed for running afoul of the laW-some-
| times in minor caSeS-as compared to
in IA for the year ending June 80,
| 1880.
| knowledge Widespread.
This difference in the results for
| two years may we'll be explained bv
| more widespread knowledge of the fact
| that the commission is able through
| fingerprintS. to discover records that
| applicants would like to conceal" it is
| said at the commission
Up until the start Of the present
fiscal year the commission because of
| lack of funds, was able only to take
the prints of those seeking work in
! the Bureaus of Prohibition. Prisons
Industrial Alcohol, Customs and Mar
coticS. and for the Secret Service. pa
! trcl inspectors in the Bureau of Immi-
| grafton. food and drug inspectors of
the Department of Agriculture. police
| and firemen in the District of Columbia
and post Office forces in the large cities
For these the prints are made at the
examination
! OF workers are fingerprinted. with the
| exception of law enforcement and postal
employees until they obtain appoint
ments.
The commission began flngerprinting
several years ago, when mail robberieS
| indicated inside collision. BY taking
the prints of post Office employees in
| several large cities. it was found that
| number had long criminal records
| These we're disposed of, and the COM
! mission then began its efforts to bar
! the entrance of criminals.
Results Were Startling.
! When the prohibition force was
/ placed in the classified service, finger
printing was applied with what are de-
scrlbed as Startling results
This demonstrated even more the
necessity for extending the system, and
In several instances the fingerprints
have turned up criminals who were
| fugitiveS from justice, one, a man
wanted for a hold-up in Los Angeles
being detected when he sought a postal
/ position in Philadelphia, and in another
| case, postal robber being located
through applying for a postal job in
| Detroit
The commission gets check on the
! prints, both from the police at the
point from which the applicant halls
and through the Bureau Of Investiga-
! ton OF the Department of Justice
Its own experts also check prints in
| the commissions files against those
which come into the office on the usual
police lookout"
1t was said that the commission has
not encountered the opposition to fin
gerprinting that opponents had said
would develop.
Refusal Gets Rejection.
Where the applicant for a position
has nothing to conceal, 1t was said. the
fingerprinting is just looked upon by
him as routine requirement If an
applicant refuses to submit, the COM
mission simply turns him down. This
| happens, sometimes after an applicant
has met all requirements.
| The commission, it was said. uses dis
cretion in treating those whose prints
may have been taken by police for a
minor offense, or perhaps because they
| fell once and have atoned
The flngerprinting applies only to en-
trants into service, it being emphasized
| that it was not intended to fingerprint
persons already employed unless some
special case developed.