Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-12-31
Prison Terms
Rise 36.5Pct.in
Length Here
Spencer Credits
Sitter Sentences
For Drop in Crime
BY Miriam Ottenbero

"A oo.o pei CcIlC lIlCIedSe III Clo
length of sentences melted out
by Federal District Court judges
here shows up in a recent three
month study made public today
by the Department of Correc-
tions.
Sitter sentences were credited
by Commissioner Samuel Spen-
Ger last night with being one Of
the major reasons for the re-
cent IS per cent decrease in the
city's crime.
The Department of Correc-
tions survey was made by Wade
Maddox. record clerk at Lorton
Reformatory. He compared the
average sentences of those sent
to the reformatory in July, Au-
gust and September of this year
with the sentences received by
prisoners sent to the reformatory
during the same months last
year.
He found that minimum SEN
fences for major crimes averaged
1872 per cent longer this year
than last and the maximums
averaged 36.5 per cent longer.
Greatest Increases.
The greatest increases showed
up in sentences for rape, rob-
berry, aggravated assault and mar
cotics violations.
Police Chief Robert v. MUIR
ray. in a recent statement, listed
severe sentences in serious
crimes, particularly for multiple
offenders and repeaters, as one
OF the reasons for the down.
ward trend in crime here. He
cited articles in The Star on the
subject and said he had heard
many complimentary comments
on them.
In the articles, The Star
showed that men who committed
a number of crimes were prose-
cuted for few of them and then
given concurrent sentences in
these cases-a process of elimi-
nation that resulted in one pun
fshment for many crimes. Sub
sequently police and prosecutors
procedures were changed.
Murray'S Statement,
Chief Murray's statement said:
THE present cooperation be-
tween the Police Department and
the United States attorneys Of
flee has resulted in multiple cases
being brought before the District
Court judges who have, in my
opinion. meted out very substan-
tlal sentences in most instances.
I feel certain that such sentences
will be one of the very best
deterrents to crime and it has
always been my opinion that
there should be recognition Of
multiple offenSes, especially in
serious crimes"
The Corrections Department
study showed that sentences for
robbery went from an average
of 22-to-69 months in the 1852
period to an average of Alto
1919 months in the 1853 period.
This represented an 1874 per cent
increase in minimum terms and
an 869 per cent increase in
maximum terms.
Other Big Increases.
These, other substantial in
creases were reported:
Rape Sentences increased
from 25-to-76 month average
terms in the 1852 period to A.
to-l47 month average terms in
the 1853 period for an increase
of 80 per cent in the minimums
and 93.4 per cent in the maxi
NUNS
Aggravated assault-Sentences
increased from 10-to-34 month
average terms in the 1852 period
to 23-to-74 month average
terms in the 1853 period for an
average increase of 100 per cent
in minimumS and ITS per cent
in maXimumS.
MISUNDERSTANDING sentences
increased from 17-to-54-month
terms IN the 1852 period to 81
to-95-month terms in the 1853
period for an average increase
of 82.4 per cent in the mini
NUNS and 76 per cent in the
maximumS.
Burglary-Average sentences
increased from 16-51-month
terms in the 1852 period to 81
to-66-month terms in the 1853
period for an increase of 31.2
per cent in the minimums and
29.4 per cent in the maximums.
Slight increases or decreases
were noted in sentences for
homicide. grand larceny and
auto theft.