from fire and explosion. It also serves as a board
of appeals for matters connected with the enforce-
ment of the Fire Code and interpretation of con-
flicts with local codes.

The Commission consists of nine members ap-
pointed for five-year terms by the Secretary of
Public Safety and Correctional Services with the
approval of the Governor. Membership must be
geographically representative of the State (Code
1957, Art. 38A).

HANDGUN PERMIT REVIEW BOARD

Chairperson: Donald A. Westcott, 1990

Oscar T. Jobe, 1988; Elmer E. Horsey, 1989; H.
Theodore Frantum, Jr., 1990; Rev. Mervin C.
Gray, 1990.

6776 Reisterstown Rd., Suite 312
Baltimore 21215-2341 Telephone: 764-4070

The Handgun Permit Review Board was creat-
ed in 1972 (Chapter 13, Acts of 1972).

Any person whose application for a handgun
permit or renewal of a permit has been rejected or
whose permit has been revoked or limited may
ask the Board to review the decision of the Super-
intendent of the Maryland State Police. The
Board can either sustain, reverse, or modify the
decision of the Superintendent, or conduct a hear-
ing to establish the facts.

From the general public the Governor appoints
the Board's five members with the advice and
consent of the Senate. Members serve three-year
terms (Code 1957, Art. 27, sec. 36E).

DIVISION OF CORRECTION

Arnold J. Hopkins, Commissioner
Elmanus Hemdon, Deputy Commissioner

6776 Reisterstown Rd.
Baltimore 21215 Telephone: 764-4100

Prior to 1916, the Maryland Penitentiary and
the Maryland House of Correction were autono-
mous institutions operating under the jurisdiction
of a separate Board of Directors and a Board of
Managers appointed by the Governor. In 1916,
these institutions were placed under the adminis-
tration of the State Board of Prison Control
(Chapter 556, Acts of 1916). The Board of Wel-
fare, in 1922, superseded the Board of Prison

Control and administered the prisons (Chapter 29,
Acts of 1922). In 1939, the Department of Cor-
rection and the Board of Correction assumed all
rights, powers, and duties that had formerly been
vested in the Board of Welfare (Chapter 69, Acts
of 1939).

The Superintendent of Prisons became the ad-
ministrator of the Department in 1953 (Chapter
758, Acts of 1953). The Board of Correction es-
tablished departmental policies and appointed ex-
ecutive personnel of institutions under the juris-
diction of the Department on recommendations
made by the Superintendent of Prisons (Code
1957, Art. 27, sees. 667, 669-671, 675, 677). By
Chapter 123, Acts of 1962, the administration of
the Department of Correction changed. That act
established an Advisory Board and created the of-
fice of Commissioner of Correction. In 1968, the
Department of Correction was renamed the De-
partment of Correctional Services (Chapter 137,
Acts of 1968).

All State correctional responsibilities were as-
signed to the Department of Public Safety and
Correctional Services in 1970 (Chapter 401, Acts
of 1970). The Department of Correctional
Services was reestablished as the Division of Cor-
rection and continued exercising central adminis-
trative control over adult correctional facilities
subject to the authority of the Secretary of Public
Safety and Correctional Services. The 1970 statute
also abolished the Advisory Board of the Depart-
ment of Correction, the Advisory Board of the
Division of Parole and Probation, and the Adviso-
ry Council for Correctional Services, and created
a single advisory board for corrections, parole,
and probation.

The Commissioner of Correction is appointed
by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional
Services with the approval of the Governor and
the advice and consent of the Senate. The Com-
missioner is in sole and active charge of the Divi-
sion of Correction and of its several institutions
and agencies, subject only to his responsibility to
the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional
Services and to the Governor (Code 1957, Art. 27,
sees. 673-674).

The staff of the Division of Correction plans, es-
tablishes, and directs programs of administration
for State correctional facilities. The institutions
carry on programs of classification, education, vo-
cational training, employment, substance abuse
counseling, psychological/psychiatric interven-
tion, security, and all necessary support services
for residential housing.