Evening star., 1946-04-20
Constructive Report

There have been many inVeStiga-
tionS of the District Jail over a long
period of years, but none has pro-
duced report more constructive, on
the whole, than that submitted to
the House District Committee by the
Hebert Subcommittee. The subcom-
mittee placed its finger on a fun
damental weakness Of the present
administration of the Jail when it
criticized the divided responsibility
of the existing setup-with the Dis
trlct Commissioners responsible for
seeking appropriations and the
Board of Public Welfare responsible
for operation of local penal institu-
tlonS. 1t was almost inevitable that
such a division of authority should
result in conflict and controversy,
with resultant breakdoWns in eff
cheney and morale at the jail The
subcommittee proposes to end this
split jurisdiction by establishing,
under the Commissioners, Depart
ment Of Corrections which would
have complete responsibility for ad-
mlniStering the jail and other local
penal esta blishments. Heading this
department, the subcommittee says,
should be a competent penologist,
preferably obtained through Coop
Grafton of the Federal Bureau of
Prisons.
Because the immediate situation
at the jail is urgent, the Subcommit-
tee recommends that this new de-
partment be created at once-by
joint agreement between the Com
misSioners and the Board of Public
Welfare. This admittedly would be
an interim voluntary arrangement,
pending proposed legalization of the
plan by statute The subcommittee
paid proper tribute to the public
splritedneSs of the Welfare Board,
whose members, serving without pay,
have tried valiantly but vainly to
make the present hydra headed Sys-
points out, the board has been seri-
ously handicapped by it's general
unfamiliarity with technical details
of prison administration. BY volun-
tarily agreeing to transfer it's admin
istrative authority over the jail to a
new department headed by prison
expert, the board would make
pralSeWorthy contribution to solu-
ton of the jail problem.
1t is interesting to note that O.
number of the reforms recommended
by the subcommittee already had
been advocated by the suspended
general superintendent, Mr.. Gill,
whose dismissal the subcommittee
urges. He is on record as favoring a
separate department of corrections.
strengthening of safeguards against
escape and adoption of some other
measures in the subcommittee pro-
gram. Since the question of Mr..
GllPS fitness to continue as penal
superintendent is being considered
by a special board which has held
lengthy hearings on the subject. it
Is assumed that the final decision as
to Mr.. Gill's future will await the
verdict of that board.
The long-vieW approach to the Jail
problem suggested by the subcom-
mlttee would involve creation of
special committee composed of rep
reSentatlveS of the House District
Committee, the District Court, the
Department of Justice, the Commits
sloners and the citizens of Washing
ton. This group would be charged
with preparing comprehensive,
up-to-date program of penal admin
lStration for the District, including
recommendations for legislat ton con-
Sldered necessary to remedy existing
defects. 1t is to be hoped that such
a committee will be named in the
near future and that it will tackle it's
difficult assignment at the earliest
practicable moment.