Evening star., 1951-09-09
Number Jailed
Here in Year
Sets Record
Correction Report
Shows D. c. Courts
Committed 1889
By Horriet Griffiths

year. the annual report of the
Department of Corrections dis
closed yesterday.
The report sent to the Conn.,
misSionerS by Donald Clemmer,
director of corrections, cited a
''sad parade" of 23,989 commit
ments in fiscal 1851. This COM
pares with 21,O62 in fiscal 1850.
And the 5000 averag daily
population of the department. IS
four institutions during 1851 was
the second highest in a decade,
the report said. 1t was exceeded
in 1912. when the average was
3,419.
FelonS Kept in Jail.
Mr.. Clemmer reported that
during the year, because of
crowding in the Lorton Reforma-
tory, the jail has been used to
hold sentenced felons. There are
about 160 such prisoners there
now, he said.
A result is the addition of a
penitentiary program to the jail's
conventional one as detention
center and clearing house.
Mr.. Clemmer said this includes
three classes for selected prison.
ers, in culinary practice. Office
work and mechanics. In addi-
ton, he plans to require each
sentenced man to take a CORE
Spondence course. This is part of
the extensive program at Lorton
There is an evening recreation
program. A television set is being
obtained with contributions from
cigaret and incidental money.
Fewer Escapes in 1851.
Other significant events of
1851, according to the report:
/. The most successful record
of cuStodial management as meas
ured by prevention of escapes and
inmate misconduct.
2. Progressive strides in the re-
Mobilization programs.
3. Record agricultural produc-
ton.
4. Improved management or
ganization and increased person.
mel training programs.
5. A proposed plan for expansion
so that the District could, within
10 years, have complete and in
tegrated correctional system of its
own.
The Jail had the highest average
daily population in its history.
with 872 inmates, compared with
842 in 1850 and a 10-year daily
average since 1941 of 632.
1854 LOrtOn's Average.
The Lorton Reformatory had
daily average of 1854 as compared
with 1878 in 1850 and a 10-yearI
average of 1920.
The Workhouse for misdemean-
ants had a daily average of Gil.
as compared with 951 in 1850, and
a 1O-year average of TAO.
The Women's Reformatory held
the same average population-172
as the previous year, compared
with a 10-year average of 1874.
For the department as a whole
the average daily population was
3,309 in 1851; 3.244 in 1850; 2,738I
in 1949 and 2.460 in 1948. 1t has
averaged 2,726 since 1941.
Besides the local offenders in
District institutions, there was an
average of 521 in Federal prisons.
This daily average increased from
275 in 1949 and 400 in 1850.
During fiscal 1851, the largest
number of transfers to Federal
institutions was 80 for narcotic
addiction treatment at Lexington.
KY.
Inmate records of June 30
showed a population of 1898, of
whom 62.63 per cent were male
and 31.16 per cent were white
The median age of the population
was 35.4 years.
391 Burglary Offenses.
A partial breakdown on Of
fenses of the 23,989 persons jailed
was as follows: Burglary, 391;
aggravated assault, 381; non-sup-I
port, 1866; robbery 800; grand lar
ceny, 259; auto theft, 179; sex
offenSes other than rape, 1875;
rape and assault to rape, 40;
homicide. "a; gambling, IA; mar
cotic law violations, 100; LIQUOR
law violations, IS; intoxication,
1888; disorderly conduct, 1,7O5;
simple assault and threats, 658:
and petit larceny, 621; and traffic
violations, 495.
The report said the year passed
without serious inmate disturb
ances despite the high popula-
tions. There were seven escapes
three from the unwalled work.
house, one from the Women'sI
Reformatory, two from the Mems
Reformatory and one from the
Jail. All were caught but the
woman.
1t was explained that the man
lost from the Jail did not actually
break away. but by false identi-
f1cation walked through the con-
troll center to freedom. He was
caught two months later
New Records Cited.
Based on fair wholesale prices,
the report said, the departments
agricultural division produced
$250.000 in food, forage and
forage and forestry products New
production records were cited in
the dairy and swinery units.
Total milk production increased
80 per cent over last year. An
average of 80.2 cows we're MIXED,
producing 11,771 pounds of milk,
with butterfat averaging 403
pounds.
In the swine unit, 825 hogs were
slaughtered with a total dressed
weight of 241 ,093 pounds.
The cannery had its most pro-
ductive year. with its output
valued conservatively at $48,5 500,
the report said.
The department served more
than 3,815,00O meals to inmates.
$648,O0 for Food.
The report said the estimated