Law enforcement officials are hoping that D.C. inmates can help solve crimes while they pass their time behind bars playing cards.
The D.C. Jail, with the city’s cold-case investigators, will distribute playing cards containing information about unsolved cases. The hope is that the cards will generate talk among thousands of inmates, who will pass on tips to authorities.
By its very nature, the jail contains a “critical mass” of criminals and is uniquely positioned to be a major resource for police, said D.C. Department of Corrections Director Devon Brown.
“Criminals know best who’s been involved in crime,” Brown said.
The specially designed deck will contain detailed information about 52 cases, including descriptions of the crime and a picture of the victim, along with the availability of a reward up to $25,000 to anyone who can provide credible information leading to an arrest. The cards, which
will be printed up in about two weeks, will contain information about unsolved homicides, missing children and violent robberies.
The D.C. Jail already offers playing cards that contain educational information, including decks that show famous scientists or bits of historical trivia, Brown said.
In Florida, which is preparing to release its third set of cold-case playing cards, authorities say the cards have helped solve at least two cold-case slayings in the last year.
The D.C. Department of Corrections has about 3,200 inmates under its control in the jail and in halfway houses and processes more than 18,000 intakes each year. It is the largest local detention system in the region.
