Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-14
Crime Drops,
But Prison
Populations Up

The Washington Police De-
partment's record Of solving
more major crimes than any
other comparable city in the
United States has contributed
to jamming the city's penal
facilities at a time when the
crime rate is going down, the
Commissions Committee on
Prisons. Probation and Parole
reported last night.
The spiraling prison popula-
tons were also attributed to the
imposition OF longer sentences in
recent years and the limited use
Of probation and parole services.
In a review of the Districts
crime situation. the committee
found:
/. The overwhelming ma
jority Of offenders are long,
time residents Of the District
and not transients.
2. Most offenders here are
chronic crime repeaters. OF
those committed to District
Jail during the past fiscal year,
SO per cent had prior prison
records.
3. Crime in Washington Is
at its lowest point since the
present crime reporting sys-
tenn began in 1913.
4. II Congress allows the
funds requested in the 1858
appropriation estimates for a
2.500-man police force and !.
other factors affecting crime
trends remain relatively stable,
serious crime here is expected
to continue its downward
trend.
S. A depression which af-
fected job opportunities here
or sent large numbers Of I'M
employed into the area would
result in increased crime and
more tanning Of prison ia
cilities.
The committee found great
significance" in the results Of a
survey of 1878 inmates of the.
Lorton Reformatory. Workhouse |.
and Women's Reformatory. The ;
records of these inmates showed
that 33.40 per cent have lived
in the District all their life;
nearly Is per cent have lived
here more than 20 years but not
all their life. and more than 80
per cent have resided here more
than nine years.
Called Significant.
1.-THE committee regards these
findings of great significance"
the report said. "for they lay to
rest the hope that the Districts
police problems will be solved.
crime rates lowered and prisons
relieved Of overcrowding. as
soon as the people who are COM
all the crime pick up and
go home again.
1.-THE truth is: they are home
here in Washington. They make
up our own criminal element.
They are not going to disappear
and. even more ominous. unless
they are met with modern. SEN
sible correctional and rehabili-
tation programs. this criminal
element and the problems it
presents will continue to grow"
Murray's Answer
On the question Of whether
the expanded police force-if
Congress lets it stay expanded
would tend to keep crime down
or tend to fill the prisons further.
the committee cited Police Chief
Robert v. Murray's answer:
An increased force on the
street leads to a decrease in the
commission of serious offenses
and a corollary decrease in ar
rests for serious offenses.
After a large increase in en-
forcement personnel, there is an
immediate increase in arrests for
lesser offenses overlooked by an
overworked. undermined force.
These arrests soon diminish.
however. when increased en-
forcement is followed by in
creased compliance.
in general" concluded Chief
Murray, Il believe that an in
creased force. after its effects are
fully realized in the prevention
of crime. will result in q re-
duced prison population.