Evening star., 1950-11-15
Crime
Continued From First Page. }

police department. It would be
the office of deputy chief of po-
lice" The Assistant Superintend-
ent of Police now is second in COM
mand.
Other proposed moves for the
police department would be to
strengthen the Central Criminal
Records Bureau and enlarge
methods of obtaining evidence and
interviewing suspects. All law en-
forcement agencies in the District
would have to report cases to the
Records Bureau.
"MObile Laboratory" Provided.
The department would get 6
mobile laboratory" a motor ve-
hicle equipped with cameras
floodlights, developing equipment
and similar material. Headquar.
tiers also would have "secret
room" with concealed cameras anc
recording devices to be used when
suspects are interviewed.
Subcommittee officials empha-
sized that the bill does not seek tc
limit authority of judges. BY pro-
viding heavier penalties and
making specific sentences manda-
tory for some types of crime, they
explained, the bill nevertheless
would narrow the field in which
discretionary sentences might be
imposed.
Another proposed change in
this District of Columbia law
reinforcement act" would require
persons convicted of grand or
petty larceny to make restitution
of unrecovered property.
The minimum for all assault
cases would be three years
"After-Hours" Clubs Hit.
A section aimed at "after-
hours" clubs would apply nuisance
law penalties to residences and
other establishments where per-
sons repeatedly congregate for
drinking after legal hours.
The subcommittee held numer-
Gus hearings this year on crime
and criminal enforcement in the
District. It wrote a proposed re-
:quirement that any District gov
ernment officer or employe who
refused to answer questions or
produce records at such investi-
eative hearings be Immediately
ousted from his job.
Another criminal code change
proposed in the bill would crack
down on persons who knowingly
accept or buy stolen property. 1t
sets a 1-to-10-year penalty for
those receiving stolen property
worth more than $50. Those TAX
ing less than that amount would
be liable to a $500 fine or a year
in jail, or both.
The bill also would make it a
felony to assault a policeman. The
maximum penalty for assault with
out a dangerous weapon would be
five years and a $4,000 fine. That
penalty would be doubled if q
weapon were used.
Broadens Area of Arrests,
The penalty for carrying a gun
without permit would be as high
as one year and $1,000. Any such
defendant previously convicted OF
that offense here or anywhere else
in the United States could be sent
to prison for three to 10 years.
The measure greatly broadens
the area for arrests and searches
and seizures without warrants
The personal property. including
automobiles, of a person convicted
OF violating gambling laws coulo
be seized and forfeited. Similarly
the premises of any person ad-
judged to be an habitual criminal
would "be open to inspection with
out warrant at all times"
| A judgment that a person is ar
habitual criminal would have the
immediate effect of making him 6
ward of the court and subject te
the supervision of any judge ol
the District Court to the same ex.
tent that a minor is subject tt
control of his parent or guardian.
Almost any combination of f1vt
arrests for felonies and misde.
meanors would make a person
liable for such a judgment. I
would not automatically call fol
a life sentence, however. Tha
would be left to discretion of thu
court.
Second and third offender.
would get not less than five years
They would get a minimum of 81
years if the maximum penalty fol
their crime was life imprisonment
The bill would ban probation
for persons convicted of crimes ot