Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-15
Prisons Bureau
Chief SkepticuI
Of Rehabilitation
BY J. THEODORE CROWN
Star STAT: Writer

dDi4lIy u IOuT washington
youths released on Juvenile
Court order from Federal in
stitutions to stay out of trouble.
The comment from James v.
Bennett was contained in a
letter to Washington Deputy
Police Chief John E. Winters.
With the letter, released to-
day by the deputy chief, was
a summary Of the extensive
police records of the youths in
volved. The youths were trans
ferred from the National Train
ing School to various Federal
institutions because Of unruly
behavior.
The youths were released on
order of Juvenile Court Judge
Orm W. Ketcham in the wake
Of his latest dispute with Mr..
Bennett.
Judge Ketcham said hearings
on II other cases of similar
transfers will be held starting
Wednesday of next week. The
Judge said he plans to have
complete records of all the
youths for the hearings.
Difference Of Opinion
Judge Ketcham has said Ju-
venile Court law provides that
a juvenile cannot be placed in
prison where he can associate
with adult criminals. Mr.. Ben
nett has said he believes he has
the authority under Federal law
to order the transfer Of any
juvenile who proves himself
"unmanageable" at the Ma
tional Training School, where
the most serious juvenile Of
tenders are committed.
In the letter to Deputy Chief
Winters, Mr.. Bennett said that
AL Of these youths were seri-
ously disruptive of the program
at the National Training School
and, in my judgment, it was
necessary to remove them to
more appropriate institutions" "
Mr.. Bennett noted that the
Federal institutions at Peters,
burg, Va, and Ashland. KY,
where the youths we're trans
Iferred. ARE designated to re-
ceive youths committed under
the Federal Youth Corrections
Act"
Programs Called Superior
He added that 1.-The training
and treatment programs at
both facilities are probably SUI
perior to those we have at the
training school, particularly for
older and more aggressive jul
veniles."
II have asked the staff at the
training school to give these
young men what help they can
in finding employment in the
CITY," Mr.. Bennett said.
These are their police records,
as given by Mr.. Bennett to
Deputy Chief Winters:
One at the age Of Z first
came to police attention by
turning in a false fire alarm.
Two years later he was found
to be beyond parental control.
At 10, he was charged twice
with HOUSEKEEPING and was
charged with the same offense
at Is. He was sent to Cedar
Knobs and escaped the next
year. When he was IS he was
charged with petty larceny and
the next year with housebreak-
ing, attempted HOUSEKEEPING
and again was found beyond
parental control.
Placed on Probation
He was placed on probation
until age 18 but at age II he
was charged with attempted
HOUSEKEEPING and committed
to the National Training School.
He escaped last March and lat
er was recaptured.
Another Of the youths was
charged at IS with petty lar
ceny, the next year with as
sault and placed on probation
until he was 18. At II, he was
charged twice with unauthor-
lied use of an auto. His proba-
ton was revoked and he was
committed to the National
Training School. He also was
named in a paternity suit.
The third youth was charged.
at age IL, with petty larceny
and the next year with snatch
ing a pocketbook. He was
placed on probation. At IA, he
was charged with assault and
destroying private property and
again placed on probation.
Charges Of Assault
A short time later, he was
charged twice with assault with
a dangerous weapon, a rock,
and a month later again with
assault. The following month
his probation was revoked and
he was committed to Cedar
Knobs. He was released a year
later, and less than a year after
that he was charged with rob-
berry with force and violence,
and later in the year with petty
larceny and assault. He was
committed to the National
Training School last February.
The fourth youth was charged
at Is with assault and two
years later with unauthorized
use of an automobile. A month
after that he was charged with
assault with a dangerous
weapon, a knife and was COM
mitted to the National Train
ing School. He escaped last
November and was caught in
January.