Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-15

and may be the best means Of punish-
ment or correction for certain in
dividuals who have offended the COM
munity, 1t hesitates to draw any con-
clusion on the high percentage Of
convicted felons released under this
practice"
Probation System Study.
The Prison Industries Reorganiza-
ton Administrator figures and the
associations own findings show the
need for careful study of the entire
probation system. the report said
The association will undertake such q
study.
Its study of the bail-bond situation
disclosed numerous defects that should
be remedied, the report said.
The study showed that 81 defend
ants who were under bond in grand
jury cases were rearrested for so new
alleged offenses, and were arrested as
suspicious characters in 10 other cases.
The new charges ranged from disor-
derby conduct to murder.
The Police Court is the only one of
the four criminal courts In the District
which has ANY semblance of record
keeping as to the amount OF bond
pledged by individual bondsmen," 1t
was stated. It is impossible in the
District Court, Juvenile Court and the
United States commissioners office
to learn readily Of bonds outstanding,
1t was declared, so that coordination
OF the records is impossible.
B0ndsmen Show Judgment.
The small number Of forfeitures in
comparison with the volume of busi-
ness written, the report said. would
seem to indicate that either the bonds
men show rare Judgment in the selec-
ton Of their risks, or the forfeiture
OF bonds where defendants cannot
be produced has been lax"
Bondsmen exercise great ingenuity
in attempting to evade forfeiture BY
the courts and payment in the event
OF forfeiture" it was asserted.
Rules governing granting Of bonds
are extremely vague" and deal
chiefly with the good moral character
OF bondsmen, their promise to abide
by the rules and listing of their real
estate and encumbrances, it was
pointed out Regulations concerning
granting Of bond are not uniform in
the courts.
Abuses In the bail-bond system in
the District are not, in the final analy-
SIS. directly traceable to the bonds
men," the report stressed. I'm most
instances bondsmen have observed the
letter. II not the spirit OF the laws and
regulations governing their operations.
Inc evils which do exist are the re-
suit OF inadequate regulation. lack Of
cooperation and coordination and
general apathy on the part of public
officials and society as a whole.
Recommendation are Used,
After considering the facts pre-
sented in the study. the association
was advised by the public officials con-
cerned that its recommendations were
being put into effect in every instance
as soon as practicable"
The association recommended that
records be set up in the courts to show
activities Of professional bondsmen.
that the records be co-ordinated so
that status Of bondsmen may be de-
termined readily. that the bonding
regulations be made uniform, that
definite limits be placed on the amount
OF bonds each bondsman is allowed to
write. that f1ngerprints be taken Of all
felons released on bail or on probation
and that their past criminal records
be obtained before such releases are
made. that no continuances be granted
unless the defendant is in court or