THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, December 23, 1994              TAG: 9412230508
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: COX NEWS SERVICE 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   35 lines

PENTAGON CONCERNED THAT FELONS IN MILITARY PRISONS STILL GET PAID

The Pentagon is ``deeply concerned'' that it pays the salaries of convicted criminals while it gives nothing to some of their victims, according to a statement released by the military Wednesday.

The statement followed a Dayton Daily News series that disclosed a little-known military practice: Murderers, rapists, child-molesters and other criminals are paid sometimes for years after being locked away in military jails and prisons. The series found that in just the month of June, the military paid more than $1 million to at least 665 prisoners, many convicted of serious offenses, including murder and rape.

The Pentagon acknowledged the major findings in the series.

``The (newspaper) report is receiving serious consideration,'' the Pentagon statement says. ``It underscores the need to balance the rights of the accused with the rights of the victim.''

The Pentagon acknowledged in the statement that while it can give paychecks to convicted criminals, it cannot order them to pay victims.

Several members of Congress vowed this week to make the military change the practice.

``I will redress this problem and deny all these people the money,'' said U.S. Rep. Robert Dornan of California, a senior Republican member on the House National Security Committee. by CNB