Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-11
Facilities for 50
Youthful Offenders
Forecast in Fall

Ine Fe0eral Government eXs
poets to be able to provide facil-
tiles, If needed, for so District
youths by next autumn. under
terms of the Youth Corrections
Act. 1t was announced yester-
day.
The announcement was made
by James " Bennett, director
of the Federal Bureau Of Prisons,
during a discussion of the Cor
rections Act at an open session
Of the 18th annual Judicial Con-
ference. The session was held in
the ceremonial courtroom Of the
United States Courthouse here.
Earlier the meeting, attended
largely by members of the Fed
eral bench and bar, heard Chief
Justice Warren call for action
to ease "congested" court cal
endars that raise the spectre Of
denial of justice"
29-MOnth Wait Here.
He pointed out that the prob
lem in the District. although
not as great a one as in some
other Jurisdictions, still is seri-
Gus
He declared cit now takes 20
months" from the time q civil
jury action is filed to bring the
issue to trial in this jurisdiction.
The problem has reached more
alarming proportions elsewhere,
Justice Warren said, with a four
year time lag between filing and
trial lin one unnamed jurisdic-
ton.
The Chief Justice declared
that cooperation Of bar, bench,
Congress and the executive de-
partments is necessary to COM
bat such delays.
Turning to the problem Of
crime, especially among youth.
Justice Warren stressed the value
Of preventive measures.
cit is easy to get more
policemen and prosecutors but
it is most difficult to get even
one more probation officer" he
asserted.
In opening the discussion of
the Youth Corrections Act, Mr..
Bennett explained that. under its
terms, young adults may be sent
to centerS where they would not
be subject to the influence of
hardened criminals and where
rehabilitation would be sped.
He cited figures to show that
last year, of all persons arrested.
43 per cent were at least %.
Donald Clemmer, director Of
the District Corrections Depart
ment, reported that it would be
three. or four years" before a
planned Sc million progressive
correctional institution for young
adults becomes q reality here.
During the course Of a dis
cuSsion, Mr.. Bennett remarked
on what he termed "misinforma-
ton" that sentencing in the Dis
trict is less severe than elsewhere.
Fewer on Probation.
He said he had information
showing that probation is granted
in only 20 per cent Of cases here
while the average for the re-
mainder Of the country is 81 per
cent with some areas hitting q
rs per cent figure.
Judge Luther w. Youngdahl Of
the u. s. District Court for the
District of Columbia, speaking
on mental illness and its rela-
ton to crime, urged the public
to back moves for increased ap-
preparations for st. Elizabeths
Hospital.
AS of last May %, he said,
there were 10 persons who had
been judged mentally i'll but who
were confined to jail because
there were no hospital facilities
available for them.
The session was called to order
by Chief Judge Harold S.
Stephens of the U. S. Court OF
Appeals for the District, who in
troduced Justice Warren.
Judge Matthew F. Mcclure Of
the U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia introduced
the remainder of the program.