University of Virginia Library

Kleindienst Defends Crime Policy

By Paul Larsen
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Speaking before an overflow crowd in
the New Chemistry Building last night,
Deputy Attorney General of the United
States Richard G. Kleindienst delivered a
prepared speech on "The Strategy of
Crime" of the Nixon Administration and
then fielded questions despite continual
harassment from some members of the
audience.

Before Mr. Kleindienst opened his
speech, Tom Gardner stood, and, amidst
shouting and booing from other members
of the audience, demanded that the
Deputy Attorney General address himself
to "topics of the highest priority" instead
"of the euphemism of crime which you
have chosen." The outbreak followed an
exchange between Mr. Gardner and
Richard Carrell of the Student Legal
Forum, the group which sponsored Mr.
Kleindienst's speech.

Prepared Statement

Mr. Carrell read a prepared statement
written by Robert Canaveri, Assistant
Dean of Student Affairs, concerned with
behavior of students whose views might
be in opposition to those held by Mr.
Kleindienst. The statement restricted "actions
which distract attention from those attempting
to speak, "picketing, carrying placards, or
distributing literature within the Chemistry
Building Auditorium," and several other
provisions which might interfere with the
orderly conduct of the event.

However, throughout the speech placards
were waved, outbreaks of verbal harassment
occurred frequently, and Mr. Kleindienst was
interrupted repeatedly.

"Responsible Leaders"

In his opening statement Mr. Kleindienst
referred to most students as "responsible
leaders" who are "the hope of the future."

Mr. Kleindienst said that "any blanket
disparagement of college students is
unfounded."

Turning to the body of his speech, Mr.
Kleindienst said it was his intention to inform
the audience about the Nixon Administration's
efforts to eradicate crime. He addressed himself
specifically to the issue of crime in the streets.

Mr. Kleindienst stated that the federal
government was hampered in its efforts to carry
out a positive program to meet the rising rate of
crime because of its limited jurisdiction to deal
with street crimes.

"The main emphasis of combating crime,"
Mr. Kleindienst continued, "lies with state and
local officials; and we in the Federal
government would not have it any other way.

He then described the problems which have
resulted from Congressional delays of Justice
Department proposals for new legislation."

In lsti the causes of crime, Mr.
Kleindienst named "the alienation and
frustration resulting from poverty. . .the
boredom of affluence. .the disillusionment
within the family. . .the rootlessness resulting
from urbanization. . .the growing disrespect for
authority."

He then gave four examples of "why the
Nixon Administration's crime reforms should
appeal to progressive and idealistic" minds.

Mr. Kleindienst named the Administration's
ten-point narcotics revision bill which he
believes "upgrades" the present laws regarding
narcotics and dangerous drugs, the
Administration's proposal to modernize the
nation's prisons, the proposal to provide public
defenders for accused individuals in the District
of Columbia who could not otherwise afford
legal advice, and the reorganization of the
District of Columbia's court system.

Mr. Kleindienst repeated throughout his
speech and during the question and answer
period his belief that much of the crime in the
country today is the result of "the social
injustice perpetrated against the minority
groups of this country during the past
century."

Verbal Heckling

Throughout his speech and during the
question-answer period, Mr. Kleindienst was the
subject of harassment in the form of verbal
heckling, derisive laughter, and repeated
interruptions.

The basis of discontent from the audience
centered around recent incidents involving the
Black Panther party, government investigations
of dissident and activist groups and what was
termed in a hand-out as "the worst political
repression this nation has seen since the
McCarthy era."

Fourth-year man Richard Tuggle drew a
standing ovation when he spoke of what he
called Mr. Kleindienst's "high school textbook
speech" which did not truly hit the "burning
questions of the day."

Richard G. Kleindienst