Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-02
District Crime Problem

conclusion of the Washington Grim
inal Justice Association after a care
full analysis of the Districts crime
record for 1910. Figures are produced
to prove the point, and they are, to
say the least, disturbing.
Confning its study to fifteen major
types of serious crimes, the associa-
ton pointed out that only about a
third of the felonies reported to po-
lice last year may be considered as
having been solved. In 5,961 crimes
reported there were 1858 arrests and
1857 convictions. There were $40
Juvenile cases which were listed on
the solved" side of the ledger, in ad-
dition to the adult convictions. A
chart accompanying the fifth annual
report of the association gives a
striking Illustration of the opportu-
mites to escape the law that Wash
tngton offers the criminal element.
The chart shows that approximately
two out of every three felons who
committed crimes in the Capital last
year are still at large, due either to
failure Of police to make arrests or to
failure of the prosecution process for
one reason or another The report
properly criticizes this showing as
mot satisfactory" and adds: CAS- long
as only one out of every three adult
offenders is apprehended by the
police and one out of five is actually
found guilty by the courts, the eff
cheney of criminal justice in Wash
ington would seem to be functioning
madequately"
1t is obvious that the fault lies.
not with the police alone, nor with
the prosecution system alone, nor
with the judicial system alone-but
Is the joint responsibility of all three
arms of law enforcement. And the
attitude Of the public also plays an
important part in the background Of
the picture. That the Police Depart
ment is not functioning at top eff
cheney is to be expected in view of
the known fact that the growth Of
police personnel has not kept pace
with the phenomenal growth OF
Washington during the past decade.
Since 1880 the population of the city
has increased by nearly 100000
persons, yet only eighty-two pa
trolmen have been added to
the police force in that period.
Police Superintendent Brown re-
peatedly has sought a moderate in
crease of 100 men, yet during the cur
rent year appropriations were forth
coming for only sixteen additional
officers. With the disparity between
population and police strength rapid
~ growing wider as a result of de-
tense expansion here, Congress should
act quickly to bring police strength
up to a reasonable level and thus
correct one of the glazing weaknesses
In Washington's law enforcement
setup.
An interesting instance of how
prosecutors and judges may CO.
operate in speeding justice was cited
in the report. Not long after the as
ISOLATION inquired at the district at
torney's office as to the reason for
long delays in bringing twenty-six
homicide cases to trial, the District
Court had disposed of all but four of
the cases, with fifteen convictions, six
acquittalS and one defendant ad-
Judged of unsound mind. Prompt
administration of justice is not only
an effective crime deterrent, but is
an insurance against fading men,
cries of witnesses and against unrea-
sonably long detention of defendants
awaiting trial The importation of
outside judges has proved to be
helpful measure.
The association has rendered an
especially noteworthy public service
In calling attention to the curious
duplication of investigative efforts
among court probation officers, Jail
officials and members of the Parole
Board. This waSteful overlapping of
OF work is attributed to the refusal
of the court to permit penal insti-
tuition or Parole Board authorities to
have access to probation records,
on the ground that the latter are
"confidential Hence, all of the
ground previously covered by proba-
ton officers in their inquiries must
be retraced by penal and parole off,
cials, to the natural inconvenience,
wonderment and annoyance of citi-
Gems and organizations who must be
questioned. This situation could be
easily and quickly corrected by a
court order making probation find
ings In cases of conviction available
to the other two properly authorized
groups. Unless the court can give
some very good reason for continu-
Ing the present system, necessary