Evening star., 1936-09-25
PRIMARY BUDGET
TO CONTAIN FEW /
PRISON PROJECTS
Reformatory, Workhouse
and Jail Provided For
in Second.
RIVES' $1,800,000
PROPOSAL WEIGHED
Commissioners, However, Think
New Jail Impossible at
Present Time.

Only a few of the improvements
sought by District penal officials to
remedy some Of the revolving condi-
tions at the Jail, workhouse and re-
formatory will be provided in the
primary 1898 budget soon to be trans
mitted to the Budget Bureau, it was
disclosed today at the District Build
ing.
However. the secondary budget-the
one that will contain vitality needed
public Improvements that cannot be
provided without increased revenues
will make provision for additional ac-
commodations at the reformatory and
workhouse, and for modernization Of
the Jail.
Thomas M. Rives. superintendent
Of the jail. has asked the Commission
ers to approve an item Of $1,000, 900
in his estimates to replace the existing
60-year old building. He thinks the
cost of the proposed modernization
and enlargement will nearly equal the
expense Of new building.
Seriously Considered.
The Commissioners, it was said.
have given serious consideration to
the recommendations of Rives, but
have virtually reached the conclusion
that in view of the financial situation
confronting the District in the COM
ing fiscal year. it will be impossible
4t this time to provide new jail
building Instead, the Commissioners
propose to make some Of the urgently
needed improvements and provide ad-
ditional accommodations for the ever
increasing jail population as soon as
funds become available.
Melvin G. Hazen, president of the
Board Of Commissioners, who recently
made personal investigation at the
Jail, admits the conditions there are
shocking, but believes the congestion
can be alleviated to some extent as
soon as badly needed additional facil.
ities at the workhouse are provided.
The jail, Commissioner Hazen point
ed out, is a detention Station, and its
population fuctuates from day to day
as prisoners are transferred to either
the reformatory or workhouse. With
both of these institutions overcrowded,
he said, it has not been possible to
relieve the Jail of some Of the prisoners
who should be transferred. As an IL.
lustration. he explained. the work.
house could relieve the jail this week
of only 90 of the several hundred
prisoners sentenced by the courts since
Monday. thus intensifying the con-
eestion which has forced nearly 200
men to sleep on cell floors.
To Reduce Congestion.
Since all of the penal institutions
require additional housing accom-
modations, Commissioner HAGEN feels
preference should be given the re-
formatory and work house. These
additional facilities, he said, auto
matically would reduce congestion at
the jail.
The secondary budget providing for
the vital Improvements at all three
institutions probably will not get any
farther than the Budget Bureau unless
the Federal obligation toward District
expenses is substantially increased
above the present 5000, 900 figure, or
funds are forthcoming from other
sources.
The Commissioners are hopeful the
fiscal relations study being made at
the direction of President Roosevelt
will result In an increase in the
Federal Governments share in District
expenses and enable them to carry out
urgently needed public improvements
that otherwise would be impossible in
the next fiscal year.
Commissioner Hazen particularly is
anxious to increase the guard force
at the reformatory and workhouse,
as well as to provide additional dor
mitories to relieve those now jammed
with prisoners. He realizes q dan
gerous situation exists at these two
institutions because there are only
about $50 guards divided into three
eight-hour shifts to watch more than
2,700 inmates.
Public interest in conditions at the
Jail, workhouse and reformatory has
resulted in Station WJSV arranging
. series of broadcasts direct from
these institutions. The first broad.
cast, scheduled tomorrow at 8 p.m.,
will originate at the jail.