Evening star., 1937-06-08
BROWN ANSWERS
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REPORT ON CRIME
Holds DiscontinuanCe of
Placing Multiple Charges
Responsible for Picture.
POLICE HEAD SUBMITS
TABLE OF COMPARISON
Hazen Says Figures Are Mislead-
ing and District Does Not
Deserve Black Eye.

Replying to findings by the Wash
ngton Criminal Justice Association
that only one-tenth of the felony
charges here resulted in convictions,
Police Supt E. w. Brown reported to-
day that former practice of placing
multiple charges against defendant,
later tried on only a few counts, was
largely responsible for the picture
On reading the report, Commis-
sioner Melvin c. Hazen declared he
was convinced the analysis showed the
associations report had given the
District black eye it did not deserve"
He added,
''Washington's record is not as good
as we would like to see. and we are
trying to make improvement. But
couldn't believe it was as bad as indi-
Gated by the statement that 80 per
cent of felony charges failed to result
In convictions Statistics are likely to
be misleading unless they are an
alyzed"
Brown Submits Table.
Mai Brown, who compared his rec
ords with the findings of the associa-
ton at the direction of the commits
sion, submitted without comment a
table comparing Washington felony
offenses with those in other large
cities.
This table showed Washington
ranked sixth in population among the
nine cities fifth as to the number of
murder and non-negligent man.
slaughter offenses, third as to the
number of rape cases, second as to
robberies, first as to aggravated as
sault, first as to housebreaking, first
as to grand larceny second as TO
petty larceny and third as to auto
theft.
The other cities were Baltimore
Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Min
neapoEs, New Orleans, St. Louis and
San Francisco.
Relative to the discrepancy be-
tween the number of charges and
convictions" said Mai. Brown, this
Is the result of a policy that has been
In operation over period of many
years. Individuals are arrested on
several charges of criminal offenses
In which evidence is obtained as to
their guilt or admissions made of all
offenses and, in keeping with this
policy, only two or three cases were
presented to the grand jury. As a
result, the defendant will be con-
victed of only the two or three that
were presented to the grand jury.
Only Several Cases Filed.
I'm many instances 30 or 40 cases
will be placed against single indi-
vidual. but only two or three cases
filed in court. This has been cor
rected during the past year by ar
rangements with the United States at
torney and instructions to members Of
the police force. In all cases where
there Is sufficient evidence to warrant
charge witnesses and evidence will
be presented to the district attorneys
Office for presentation to the grand
jury.
This will result in disposition by
the court of all cases presented
against the defendant and will elimi-
nate the large number of cases classed
by the Criminal Justice Association as
technical arrests"
Maj. Brown said the large percent
age of housebreaking in Washington
is due to the fact that under the code
of laws the breaking into an clubhouse
would be listed as housebreaking here,
though no property be stolen, while in
other jurisdictions certain amount of
property must be stolen to constitute
such an offense.
He added that Washington's grand
larceny record was found larger than
in some cities because in the past
property valued at but s35 stolen here
called for grand larceny count in
stead of petty larceny. The dividing
line between grand and petty larceny
now has been raised to $50.