Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-07
City Heads GET Plans
On Correction Center
For Young Adults

Detailed plans for a "sorely
needed" progressive correctional
institution for young adults have
been presented to the District
Commissioners by Donald Glenn
mer. director of the city's COR
rections department.
The Sc million Youth Correc-
tons Center is a part of the Dis
trict's long-range public works
program. 1t would be built on
a 40-acre site on the 3,50O-acre
Lorton Reformatory reservation.
Mr.. Clemmer hopes for $780,
900 planning money in the 1855
budget. The remainder would be
allotted over the next three
years.
"The District sorely needs a
progressive correctional institu-
ton for young adults in the age
range of from 18 to o." Mr..
Clemmer declared.
Treatment Is Purpose.
He said the institution would
provide a diagnostic clinic for
youths getting in trouble with
the law and also serve as a resi-
Dental institution for them. He
added:
THE purpose of the institution
is to provide treatment following
the diagnosis for the overall OBJ
jective of reducing or eliminat-
ing the attitudes and traits from
which delinquent or criminal be-
havior springs. In other words.
the purpose of the proposed in
stitution is not punitive but cor
receive and is based on the fact
that the human nature is modi-
fable. especially during forma-
tive and youthful years.
while no expectation is en-
tertained that 100 per cent sue
cess will follow any undertaking
of this kind, it is reasonable to
presume that success will be con-
siderably higher than with meth
DDS now necessarily used.
1.-THE salvage of young men
from life of crime will not only
avoid countless tragedies but
conserve public funds as well
over the years.
Sees $500, 900 Annual Bill.
Mr.. Clemmer said the program
of the institution would be highly
progressive, the approach many
sided and "its keystone will be
individualiZed guidance and
counseling by manly experts"
versed in many fields. He said
172 persons would be needed to
man the institution and it would
cost the District about 5000, 900
annually.
Mr.. Clemmer said % buildings
would be needed as follows: Ad-
ministration, diagnostic clinic,
receiving center, living quarters,
barber shop, clothing unit, Gu
linary unit, operation center, hos
pital. chapel, visiting hall, manu-
featuring shops, maintenance
work shops, school and library,
auditorium. gymnasium, control
unit, special treatment unit,
warehouses, heating plant, ga
RACES, sewage disposal and tow
erS.
He said the institution should
be able to house 600 youths as
planned and later could be ex-
panded for no more than 1000.
Stressing that this was only
preliminary discussion of the
proposed youth corrections CEN
ter, Mr.. Clemmer said he was
consulting with James v. Ben
nett. director of the Federal Blu
reau Of Prisons; Robert Barnes,
Bureau architect; Chief Judge
Bolitha j. Laws, of the U. S. Dis
trict Court for the District of
Columbia, United States Attor-
ney Leo A. Rover and other ex-
pertS in the field.
He also said he had started
two contests, one for inmates
and another for personnel of his
department, to get ideas for the
way the new institution should
be set up.