Evening star., 1946-04-19
Continued From First Page.)


ever the evidence warrants, and
that the full subject matter be
laid before the grand jury for
consideration and subsequent in
dictment Of any person or per-
sons guilty of violation of the
law under the criminal code.
At the very outset your COM
m1ttee cannot bring too strongly
or forcibly to the attention of the
entire Congress the utter lack of
centralized control of the District
of Columbia government and
multiple divided responsibility
which destroys any weight or
prestige of authority intended
for any group or groups within
the unstable and unsatisfactory
STRUCTURE, for the control and op-
Grafton of the District of Colum-
bia municipal government and a
complete lack of a definite and
centralized authority.
This octopus of divided respon-
sibility finds its tentacles stran-
gulating all hope of authority
which might offer a solution to
this immediate problem and
other problems which might arise
from time to time. Basically
and fundamentally your commit
tee finds that once again this
lack of responsibility and direct
authority which are the offspring
of the laws which have been en-
acted by the Congress for the
operation of the District govern
ment, can be charged with the
two-headed monster now threat
ening the welfare of the District
of Columbia, as a result of which
there cannot be safe incarcera-
tion of the criminals.
Congress Held Fundamentally
Responsible for Conditions.
While the conditions which
exist cannot be said to be the
direct responsibility of the Con-
gress, it can be said that the
ultimate existing conditions un-
doubtedly are traceable to the
fundamental responsibility of
Congress in enacting proper leg
islation for the government Of
the District of Columbia.
The issue is clear-cut. Con-
gress, if it insists upon control
of the District of Columbia gov
ernment, must accept its full
responsibility, and its members
must discharge their duties by
giving proper weight and con-
sideration to the problems of the
District.
If it is not the desire of the
Congress to accept that respon-
sibility and discharge its duty in
the fullest, then it most certainly
is incumbent upon Congress to
divorce itself entirely of the re-
sponsibility for the District gov
ernment and vest that respon-
sibility and authority in the cit
izens of the District Of Columbia,
who then can be held directly
responsible for the conduct of
the district government.
Your committee has found that
the present difficulties in the
District of Columbia penal sys-
tenn stem partially from certain
basic shortcomings in the organ
izational structure and a just
commensurate financial support
of the District government, and
partially from the failure of the
Board of Public Welfare, which
is the cognizant authority in the
control of the penal institutions
in the District of Columbia, to
comply with fundamental peno-
logical procedures and standards.
Much as it may be desirable to
change some of the basic philos-
ophies underlying the District
government and its relation to
the Congress, your committee
feels it is not necessary to await
these reforms before placing its
prison system on a basis where it
will fully protect the public and
faithfully and undeviatingly
carry out the orders of the courts.
1t is in this light that your COM
mittee makes the following OBJ
servations on the background and
causes of the breakdown in the
District penal system, and
strongly recommends for both a
long-range program of improve
ment and for coping with imme-
diate problems.
DEFECTS IN THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA PENAL
SYSTEM.
From the evidence developed by
the committee it is obvious that
the existing situation is due to:
l. DECENTRALIZATION OF
PERSONNEL:
This Is the outgrowth of the
shortcomings set forth below,
some of which are of long stand
ing. These have been aggravated
by recent conflicts in the District
penal organizations, and super
vision, lack of leadership, con-
fusion and wartime shortages
and handicaps. The demoraliza-
ton extends to guards and off,
cials alike. This breakdown of
morale is, of course, quickly
translated into vacillation, in
efficiency, and provides opportu-
nifty for illegal activities.
Deplorable. Lack Of
Discipline Charged.
Your committee has found a
deplorable lack of discipline and
recognition of authority in the
guard personnel of the District
Jail. This breakdown of morale
and discipline has resulted from
small infractions of general rules
Of discipline which at the moment
perhaps were not of great i'm
portance, but which subsequently
developed into a pattern Of the
whole which brought about utter
chaos and confusion.
Because of the lack of we'll
defined authority and recognition
of that authority discipline was
not only broken down to a low
level, but it reflected itself also
in the high levels of the per-
sonnel of the Jail. Only by reason
of sufficient loyal and honest
guard and other jail personnel a
general breakdown and catas-
trophe has been avoided.
Your committee found a COM