Evening star., 1951-07-12
Young Drug Addicts
Require Special Care
Hegstrom Declares

The alarming increase IN dope
addiction among young people has
created a need for a special insti-
tuition to treat them. Harold Heg-
strom. superintendent Of the Ma
tional Training School for Boys,
said today.
"Those who steal for the first
time to buy dope shouldn't be sent
to the training school," he said,
where they will be associated with
the delinquents who are repeaters." "
He said continued commitment
of narcotics users to the training
school threatens their program Of
rehabilitating the boys there.
"It would be relatively simple to
smuggle drugs in here" he added.
I'VE try to be as liberal as possible
about privileges >and visiting by
relatives and others
Fears Smuggling Problem.
Mr.. Hegstrom said if young ad-
diets continue to come into the
school, the problem OF smuggling
drugs in might arise. These boys
could conceivably induce others to
start using the drugs. Then. he
said, rules would have to be made
more strict, and that would dam
age the rehabilitation program.
| He cited the case of one IT.
year-old boy who was committed
to the Training School after he
stole for the first time, in order
to get money to buy drugs.
In my opinion" he added.
these youngsters also should not
be sent to Lexington (Federal hos
pital for narcotics) where they
mingle with older addicts."
He said that in the past six
months seven or eight" users of
heroin have come into the school.
In some of these cases, he said.
the courts apparently were un-
aware that the youths had been
using drugs.
In the past. we occasionally got
a marijuana smoker" he went on,
"but now for the first time we are
getting those who use stronger
drugs"
Meanwhile Senator Dirksen,
Republican, Of Illinois asked the
Senate Finance Committee today
for early action on his bill to
stiffen the penalties for dope ped
ding and to require the death
penalty or life in prison for selling
narcotics to juveniles.
Senator Dirksen said the death
penalty has deferred kidnapping
and should be effective in re-
straining a despicable illicit traf-
fic which completely debauches
the bodies, minds and morals of
those who become its victims"
t Growing Menace Seen.
Mr.. Hegstrom's statement came
as officials hire indicated a grow
ing menace from drug peddlers
who prey on youngsters by in
ducing them to begin use of mar
cotlcs at parties.
This was borne out in these
developments:
l. Juvenile Court Judge Edith
ICockrill said 18 boys and girls who
use drugs had come through the
court during the past year. and
that the narcotics use usually had
it's beginning in groups"
! @ Two youths, II and 10, were
nabbed near a known dope market
and police said the boys began
using drugs at parties.
Judge Cockrill said the total of
18 youths who came under court
scrutiny during the past year is a
marked increase" over previous
periods.
/ During all Of 1949, for example,
there was only one drug user
brought before the court and in
the first six months of 1850 there
were three.
Among the 18 users known since
July. 1850. three were girls. Three
of the users were 18 years old,
nine were IT, four were 16 and
two were IS.
Two Youths Picked Up.
The two youths taken into Gus
Itody by detectives were picked up
by officers watching q known mar