Justice Dept Counters Criticisms Of Office Run by Law Professor

The Justice Department yesterday denied that a Harvard Law School professor's part-time directorship of the Office of Criminal Justice is hampering the office's efficiency.

An editorial in the current issue of The New Republic argues that the office may become "little more than a public relations and mail-answering organization" because James Vorenberg '49, professor of Law and the Director of the office, runs it on a "unique one-day-a-week basis."

Jack Rosenthal '56, director of public information for the department, yesterday called the article a "collection of inaccuracies ... The office was established with the intention of having a director with an academic base," he said. "Vorenberg has been especially valuable because he tests reactions to criminal reforms and policy changes in another community removed from insular Washington."

Rosenthal noted that Vorenberg normally devotes two days each week to his office duties--not one day, as the article alleged-- and maintains a full teaching load at the Law School. He doubted that "any program has been impeded by Vorenberg's unavailability--the office has a full-time associate director and four capable attorneys."

The editorial also misinterpreted the function of the office, Rosenthal charged. Vorenberg's staff has no concern, with giving advice or answering personal appeals for legal counsel, as the article implied.

Instead, it offers assistance to criminal law reform efforts and works with other departmental officers to draft federal reform bills. An example of the office's work is the report recently issued by the department to clarify the controversy between law years and newspaper reporters about pre-trial press coverage given defendants.