MARYLAND MANUAL 93

MARYLAND PENITENTIARY

Edwin T. Swenson, Warden
954 Forrest Street, Baltimore 2 Telephone: Vernon 2135

The concept of a central penitentiary for an entire state was a
creation of eighteenth century humanitarianism in America. It was
original in form in that for the first time a penal institution was de-
signed to serve more than a single county, town or parish, and it was
original in purpose in that it proposed to treat its inmates not as
enemies of society to be punished, but as penitents to be reformed.
With this concept in mind the General Assembly of Maryland, in 1804,
appointed a Commission to construct such an institution; however,
because of financial difficulties the penitentiary was not completed and
opened until 1811; the second institution of its type in the United
States. The institution has operated continuously since the date of its
opening. During its first 100 years, the institution was governed by
a Board of Inspectors or a Board of Managers. With the establish-
ment of the Board of Prison Control (now the Board of Correction)
in 1917, the institution was placed under its control.

The Penitentiary is a maximum security penal institution and
long-term offenders are confined here. All sentences of death are
also executed at the Penitentiary.

Prisoners are employed at the State Use Industries shops which
are designed to provide employment and practical vocational training.
The following shops are now operating: printing, auto tag, shoe
manufacturing, woodworking, brush manufacturing, sewing, mat-
tress and upholstering, metal products, and knitting.

The average population of the penitentiary is approximately 1,265.

General Funds ....................... Special Funds .......................	Expenditures 1949 $781,274.20 11,956.30 «1*7QQ OQFI Rft	Appropriation 1960 $749,198.00
Staff: 130.	<p iyd,^du.ou

MARYLAND HOUSE OF CORRECTION

J. LeRoy Wright, Warden
Jessups (Anne Arundel County) Telephone: Elkridge 157

The Maryland House of Correction was established m 1878. It is
a medium security penal institution for male offenders who are con-
victed of crime and sentenced to imprisonment for three months or
more. The institution operates a farm and maintains a herd of
dairy cattle which supplies dairy products to this institution, the
Penitentiary and the Reformatory for Women. Under the States
Use Industries organization, a soap factory, cannery, tobacco and
clothing shop are operated. Other inmates are employed under the
Public Works program. The Road Camps operate out of this insti-
tution. A school is also operated at the House of Correction. The