Report of the President's Commission on Crime in the District of Columbia

Book excerpt: In this report, the types of crimes, the offenders, and the overall disposition of the offenders in Washington, D.C. are analyzed. By Presidential order, a commission was established to make studies, conduct hearings, and compile information on crime in the District of Columbia. Detailed statistics on crime analysis are presented with studies on the serious crimes, frequency, time of occurrence, victim, offender, and other circumstances. A profile of the criminal offender is presented. Major section on the Metropolitan Police Department details its total operation. The court system, sentencing and imprisonment of adults and juveniles is analyzed. Further evaluation is given. Drunkenness offender, pretrial release, mentally ill offender, drug abuse, interrogation, juvenile offender, juvenile delinquency, and the roots of crime are discussed. The appendix contains four studies in the District of Columbia: one on police, one on offenders, one on corrections, and one on delinquency. The first study, a survey of the Metropolitan Police Department, reviews the management, administration, and operations of the department. It examines the traffic, investigation, and youth functions, as well as records management, communications, buildings and equipment, and police community relations. The second study, a description of active juvenile offenders and convicted adult felons in the District of Columbia, characterizes criminals by factors such as family background, location of residence, employment history, and personal data. The third study, the organization and effectiveness of the correctional agencies, discusses the functions and problems of the department of corrections and the parole and probation agencies. The final study analyzes the social environment and delinquency in the District of Columbia.