Evening star., 1937-02-02
QUINN FORECASTS
D. c. JAIL REFORMS.
District Committee Member
Hears of Conditions at
Welfare Meeting.

Relief from insanitary conditions
at the District Jail was forecast py
Representative James L. Quinn, MEM
her of the House District Committee,
at the February meeting Of the Dis
trict Public Welfare Association at the
Willard Hotel last night.
After hearing Of the crowding. the
health menace and general unde-
sirable conditions, Quinn said: III
the District Jail problems are pre-
sented before the committee as they
have been presented tonight, relief OF
the undesirable conditions will be
forthcoming"
Survey Of Jails Reported.
DR.. r. Lowell Bixby, assistant d.
rector Of the Federal Bureau Of Pris-
ons, outlined for the group a sur
vey Of conditions of jails over the
country and compared them with con-
ditions in long-term penal institu-
tions. He cited several typical cases
OF indecent and insanitary' living
conditions and instances Of incom-
petent management in jails recently
under special observation by the
bureau.
As to the District Jail. he later
commented that ''in management,
the District Jail compares favorably
with any in the country. The per-
sonnel Is good, but the material and
facilities to work with are bad"
Bixby deplored the fact penitenti-
aries are being improved constantly
while inhumane and antiquated con-
ditions exist in the jails, "the most
important penal institutions in the
country"
DR.. James A. Nolan, secretary Of the
Corrections Committee Of the Counsel
of Social Agencies, followed Bixby
with a discussion Of specific condi-
tions existing In the District Jail.
Cites Multiple Uses.
He commented that the district jail
Is unique in that it is a combination
Of three types OF penal institutions
q penitentiary, a detention lookup
and the commonly known county
Jail"
Among the conditions Of the District
Jail described by Nolan are the double
cells, each by feet and built to
accommodate three prisoners. used by
as many as seven inmates at time
the dark and poorly ventilated cells
lack Of recreation facilities and work
for the inmates and inSanitary condi-
tions existing due to common usage
of tin drinking cups. diseases brought
in by short-term offenders and vermir
infested walls of the old structure.
Nolan agreed with observations made
by other District officials that reno
vation Of the building would not only
be impracticable but nearly impos.
sible due to the outmoded style Of the
structure"
Sees MANAGEMENT as Exceptional.
He also observed that the manage
ment Of the jail is exceptional when
the funds allotted for operation are
taken into consideration"
It was the concensus among asso-
citation members that an answer tc
the problems presented by the jail en-
ployes relating to excessive hours and
underpay will come with an increase
in allotment, necessary to relieve
overcrowded and insanitary conditions
among the inmates.
Elwood Street, director Of public
welfare, who presided at the meeting
in the absence of Chairman Carl B
Hyatt, lauded the Jail staff for its
conscientious and humane service
despite underpayment. He hailed
Representative Jennings Randolph's
plan as presented to the association by
letter yesterday as tangible relief in
the excessive working conditions of the
employees.