DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY & CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF SECRETARY

Appointed by the Governor with Senate advice and consent, the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services is responsible for carrying out the Governor's policies in the areas of public safety, crime prevention, correction, parole, and probation.

The Secretary serves on the Governor's Executive Council, and the Cabinet Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. The Secretary also serves on the Education Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions; the State Information Technology Board; the Institutional Educator Pay Plan Committee; the Interdepartmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs; the Pricing Committee for Blind Industries and Services of Maryland; the Pricing and Selection Committee for Rehabilitation and Employment Programs; the Vehicle Theft Prevention Council; and the State Board of Victim Services.

HANDGUN PERMIT REVIEW BOARD
The Handgun Permit Review Board was created 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Any person whose application for a handgun permit or renewal of a permit has been rejected or whose permit has been revoked or limited may ask the Board to review the decision of the Secretary of State Police. The Board can either sustain, reverse, or modify the decision of the Secretary, or conduct a hearing to establish the facts.

The Governor appoints the Board's five members to three-year terms with Senate advice and consent (Code 1957, Art. 27, sec. 36E).

SUNDRY CLAIMS BOARD
In 1961, the Sundry Claims Board was established (Chapter 440, Acts of 1961). The Board administers claims filed by any prisoner who has been injured on the job while working for compensation in the Division of Correction or Patuxent Institution.

Three ex officio members or their designees serve on the Board. The Governor names the chair and secretary (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 10-301 through 10-310).

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION

Computer systems that collect, store, and disseminate criminal history record information are designed, programmed, and operated by the Division. It also provides management information services to the Department and other criminal justice agencies in Maryland.

The Division operates the Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository, Systems Operations [Public Safety Data Center], and Systems Applications. The Division also is responsible for the Arrest Booking System, first implemented in 1995 at the Central Booking and Intake Center in Baltimore, and now also used in Frederick, Harford, Howard and Montgomery counties.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM
The Criminal Justice Information System began in 1976 (Chapter 239, Acts of 1976). It develops and manages statewide information systems for the Maryland criminal justice community, including the courts; local, State and federal law enforcement agencies; local detention centers; State prisons; State's attorneys; and parole and probation officers. The System provides official records on persons arrested and convicted in Maryland. Through the Maryland Automated Fingerprint Identification System, individuals are identified and linked to their criminal history records.

JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM CENTRAL REPOSITORY
The Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository originated as the Criminal Records Central Repository in 1977. The Repository received its present name in 1989. It provides criminal history record checks to criminal justice officials, and for employment and licensing purposes.

SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
Systems Applications started in Fiscal Year 1987 as Management Information Systems and received its present name in 1997. Systems Applications is responsible for information processing services throughout the Department. The unit designs, implements, and maintains all Department information systems used for criminal justice and noncriminal justice purposes. It provides systems administration support, computer programming services, and user training to Department staff.

SYSTEMS OPERATIONS [PUBLIC SAFETY DATA CENTER]
Systems Operations (also called the Public Safety Data Center) was created in 1970. It processes public safety and criminal justice information for law enforcement and correctional agencies within Maryland. The Center provides computer processing services to the Department of State Police, the Division of Correction, the Division of Parole and Probation, Patuxent Institution, and several federal and local criminal justice agencies. Data transmission between these agencies and the Motor Vehicle Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System also is provided by the Center.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

The Office of Inspector General was authorized in May 1987 as the Division of Audits and Compliance, an independent unit within the Office of Secretary. The Division was established by the Secretary in compliance with the Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (SPPIA), which require every internal audit unit to have a written charter (Code Correctional Services Article, sec. 2-112). In 1993, the Division reorganized as the Office of Inspector General with units for audits, investigations, and management services.

The Office ensures objective review of agency facilities, property, equipment, personnel, administration, and operations. To assist the Secretary in evaluating each unit's management, the Office conducts financial, performance, program and grant audits or inspections within the Department.

In practice, the Office achieves its purpose through ongoing audit, inspection, investigation, monitoring, and periodic reporting of all Department functions. On matters requiring corrective action, the Office reports to the Secretary, primarily through fiscal and management audit reports. These reports assess compliance of units with applicable laws, regulations, directives, procedures, and standards, and recommend corrective action for any deficiency.

DIVISION OF RESEARCH & STATISTICS

SUPPORT SERVICES

DIVISION OF SUPPORT SERVICES

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215 - 2341

Telecommunications is responsible for the purchase, installation, maintenance, and inventory control of telecommunications equipment and services within the Department.

OFFICE OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION & FACILITIES MAINTENANCE
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21215 - 2341

7695 Old Jessup Road
Jessup, MD 20794

The Office of Capital Construction and Facilities Maintenance began under the Deputy Secretary as the Division of Capital Construction and the Division of Facilities Maintenance, both created in 1990. They combined in 1997 to form the present office.

The Office procures construction and related services for State correctional facilities. It also maintains Department facilities, including those of Patuxent Institution, the Police and Correctional Training Commissions, and institutions of the Division of Correction.

OFFICE OF FOOD SERVICES
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 309
Baltimore, MD 21215

This office originated from the Office of Property Management Services, initiated in 1993, and Food Services formerly administered by the Division of Correction. They merged in 1997 to form the Office of Food and Property Services separated in 1999, and became the Office of Food Services and the Office of Property Management Services again.

OFFICE OF INMATE HEALTH SERVICES
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 309
Baltimore, MD 21215

The Office of Inmate Health Services began operation in 1997 as the Office of Inmate Health Care and received its present name in 1999. Inmate Health Services oversees Continuous Quality Improvement, Health Care Administration, Infection Control, Inmate Mortality and Utilization Management, Medical Contract Audits, Medical Services, and Social Work and Addiction Services.

OFFICE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Office of Property Management Services was created in 1993. The Office coordinates administration of the Department's motor vehicle fleet, property inventory, and commercially leased space.

ADMINISTRATION

Administration oversees the Commission on Correctional Standards, the Police and Correctional Training Commissions, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, the Emergency Number Systems Board, the Inmate Grievance Office, and the Human Resources Administration. It also is responsible for Accounting Operations; Budget Management; Labor Relations; Procurement Services; and Risk Management.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARD
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 312
Baltimore, MD 21215

Instituted in 1968, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board helps victims of crime (Chapter 455, Acts of 1968). The Board administers compensation for innocent persons suffering physical injury or death as a result of criminal acts or in their efforts to prevent crime or apprehend criminals. The Board maintains an office and staff to investigate and hear claims for awards filed with the Board.

The Board has five members appointed for five-year terms by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services with the Governor's approval and Senate advice and consent. With the approval of the Governor, the Secretary designates the chair. The Board appoints the Executive Director with the approval of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Code 1957, Art. 26A).

EMERGENCY NUMBER SYSTEMS BOARD
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 312
Baltimore, MD 21215

The Emergency Number Systems Board formed in 1979 (Chapter 730, Acts of 1979). The Board coordinates installation and enhancement of county 911 systems, which are emergency telephone number services. A "911 system" automatically connects a person dialing the digits 9-1-1 on a telephone to a public safety answering point from which police, fire, ambulance or other public safety services may be dispatched on a 24-hour basis. Since July 1, 1985, all counties and Baltimore City have had a "911 system" installed. Since 1996, all have had enhanced systems with address and phone number displays.

The Board issues guidelines for county 911 system plans and determines review procedures to approve or disapprove these plans. The Board sets criteria for reimbursing counties from the original 911 Trust Fund and from ongoing funds, and provides for audit of Trust Fund accounts. All 911-related information and procedures are transmitted by the Board to the county executive and county council, or to the president of the board of county commissioners of each county and/or its designated 911 committee representative.

The Board's thirteen members are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor with Senate advice and consent. The Governor names the chair (Code 1957, Art. 41, secs. 18-101 through 18-108).

INMATE GRIEVANCE OFFICE
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 302
Baltimore, MD 21215

The Inmate Grievance Office originated as the Inmate Grievance Commission in 1971 to adjudicate inmate grievances and complaints (Chapter 210, Acts of 1971). The Commission reorganized under its present name in 1991 (Chapter 251, Acts of 1991).

Any person confined to an institution within the Division of Correction, or otherwise in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction, or confined to Patuxent Institution may submit any grievance or complaint against any official or employee of the Division of Correction or Patuxent Institution to the Inmate Grievance Office. A grievance or complaint that merits further consideration is referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings.

With the approval of the Governor, the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services appoints the Executive Director (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 10-201 through 10-210).

COMMISSION ON CORRECTIONAL STANDARDS

The Commission on Correctional Standards formed in 1980 to improve standards for correctional facilities and programs and to ensure compliance with standards for the public health, safety, and welfare (Chapter 535, Acts of 1980).

The Commission advises the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services on standards for State and local correctional facilities; provides technical assistance to local governments; audits facilities to determine compliance with correctional standards; and determines schedules for remedial action of jurisdictions that do not comply. After a public hearing, the Commission may order a correctional facility to close if it does not comply with established standards. The Commission also reviews and acts on appeals of staff audit reports.

To make State and national standards compatible, the Commission consults with national agencies promulgating correctional standards. The Commission also may consult and cooperate with State agencies and local jurisdictions on correctional standards and may establish advisory boards.

The Commission has eleven members. Eight are appointed for three-year terms by the Governor with Senate advice and consent. Three serve ex officio. With the approval of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Commission appoints the Executive Director (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 8-106 through 8-117).

POLICE & CORRECTIONAL TRAINING COMMISSIONS

POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION
Created in 1966, the Police Training Commission operates approved police training schools (Chapter 286, Acts of 1966). Subject to the authority of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Commission also prescribes standards for and certifies schools that offer police and security training. It may revoke a school's certification for cause. The Commission sets minimum qualifications for instructors and certifies qualified instructors for approved training schools. It verifies which officers have satisfactorily completed training programs, and issues diplomas (Code 1957, Art. 41, sec. 4-201).

The Commission certifies persons as police officers who have met Commission standards. Under certain conditions, it also can suspend or revoke certification. Persons not satisfactorily trained in the twelve-month probationary period may not be employed as police officers. Nor may a police officer serve after certification has been revoked, suspended, or allowed to lapse.

The Police Training Commission consists of fourteen members. Eleven serve ex officio. The Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, with the approval of the Governor and Senate advice and consent, appoints the remaining three members for three-year terms. With the approval of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Commission appoints the Executive Director (Code 1957, Art. 41, sec. 4-201).

CORRECTIONAL TRAINING COMMISSION
Authorized in 1971, the Correctional Training Commission operates approved correctional training schools (Chapter 213, Acts of 1971). Subject to the authority of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Commission also prescribes standards for and certifies all schools that offer training courses in corrections, parole, and probation. It may revoke a school's certification for cause. Correctional training methods and procedures for all correctional schools are evaluated by the Commission. In addition, the Commission outlines qualifications for instructors and certifies qualified instructors for approved training schools. Correctional officers who have satisfactorily completed training are certified by the Commission.

The Commission has twelve members. Nine serve ex officio. With the approval of the Governor, the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services appoints three members for three-year terms. The Commission appoints the Executive Director with the Secretary's approval (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 8-201 through 8-210).

CHIEF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

The Office of Minority Business Enterprise and Equal Opportunity started in 1989. The Office establishes and maintains equality of opportunity within the Department. In addition, the Office assures the Department's compliance with civil rights laws, mandates, and regulations, including the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the Veterans' Rights Act, and the Ethics Law.

DIVISION OF PAROLE & PROBATION

The Division of Parole and Probation was created in 1939 to administer State parole and probation laws (Chapter 406, Acts of 1939). In 1953, the Division was renamed the Department of Parole and Probation (Chapter 653, Acts of 1953). The Department in 1968 separated from the Board of Parole (later the Maryland Parole Commission) (Chapter 457, Acts of 1968). In 1970, the Department reorganized as the Division of Parole and Probation (Chapter 401, Acts of 1970).

The Division supervises the conduct of parolees and adult probationers and conducts investigations for the Maryland Parole Commission, the courts, and the Governor.

Supervision. Supervision and services are provided to offenders based upon the risk of their continued criminal activity. For parolees, probationers, and offenders for whom supervision is mandatory, the Division offers counseling, social casework, and diagnosis of substance abuse and other problems. Citizen volunteers help counsel parolees and probationers to lead law-abiding lives. The Division also regularly informs the Maryland Parole Commission of parolees' activities and notifies the District or Circuit Courts of probationers' activities. At its discretion, the Division recommends that the Commission issue arrest warrants for parole violators. To apprehend probationers charged with violating conditions of their probation, warrants also are requested from the courts.

Investigations. Division investigations help the Maryland Parole Commission determine whether to grant parole. When requested, the Division also conducts investigations for the courts of Maryland, and when the sentencing of a defendant convicted of felony in a Circuit Court may result in the defendant being remanded to the jurisdiction of the Division of Correction or Patuxent Institution. At the direction of the Court of Special Appeals, the Division investigates, reports, and makes recommendations regarding applications for review of criminal sentences. Where a felony offense caused physical, psychological or economic injury, the Division prepares a victim impact statement as part of the presentence investigation. A victim impact statement also is prepared when a misdemeanor offense has caused serious physical injury or death.

At the request of the Governor or the Governor's designee, the Division investigates and reports on persons applying for pardon, commutation of sentence, or clemency. In addition, the Division investigates the home and employment proposals of parolees and probationers from other states wanting to live in Maryland under the Uniform Out-of-State Parolee Supervision Act.

The Director of Parole and Probation is appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services with the approval of the Governor and Senate advice and consent. The Director serves at the pleasure of the Secretary (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 6-101 through 6-205).

The work of the Division is organized under two bureaus: Administrative Services, and Field Operations. The Division also is responsible for the Drinking-Driver Monitor Program.

DRINKING-DRIVER MONITOR PROGRAM
The Drinking-Driver Monitor Program began in 1983. The Program requires that drivers suffering from alcoholism participate in substance-abuse education or treatment. They also must learn to refrain from driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled dangerous substances.

BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

BUREAU OF FIELD OPERATIONS

CASE MONITORING UNIT
The Case Monitoring Unit began in June 1994, when it assumed duties previously performed by the field offices. The Unit monitors inactive cases, where the serving of parole or probation is delayed for reasons such as incarceration for a previous crime. Once an inmate is available to serve parole or to be placed on probation, the Unit alerts the field office to supervise the parolee or probationer.

INTERSTATE COMPACT UNIT
The Interstate Compact Unit coordinates activities resulting from the Interstate Compact for Supervision of Parolees and Probationers. The Compact is an agreement among the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Its primary purpose is to provide a systematic way for transferring eligible parolees and probationers from one jurisdiction to another, usually for rehabilitation. At the same time, public safety must be maintained and the instructions of the sentencing court ensured. Each receiving state visits and supervises probationers and parolees of the sending state and is governed in those duties by the same standards that prevail for its own probationers and parolees. Eligible offenders usually have family or responsible friends residing in the receiving state. Before granting permission to transfer parolees and probationers, the receiving state is given an opportunity to investigate the offender's intended residence and prospective employment.

CORRECTIONAL OPTIONS PROGRAM
Started in March 1994, the Correctional Options Program supervises community programs that are alternatives to incarceration in the metropolitan Baltimore area. These include home detention, drug court, day reporting, boot camps, intensive parole supervision, a regimented offender treatment center, and a re-entry aftercare facility.

REGIONAL OFFICES OF CRIMINAL SUPERVISION
Regional Offices of Criminal Supervision began as Offices of Regional Operations in 1980. They reorganized under their present name in 1994. Four regional offices administer the supervision of probationers and parolees by agents assigned to some forty field offices.

OPERATIONS

DIVISION OF PRETRIAL DETENTION & SERVICES

The Division of Pretrial Detention and Services was established within the Department in 1991 (Chapter 59, Acts of 1991). At that time, the State assumed responsibility for the Baltimore City Jail and renamed it the Baltimore City Detention Center. Maryland is the only state which has administrative control over a large local detention center.

For those arrested and awaiting trial in criminal proceedings before the District Court or the Circuit Court of Baltimore, the Division administers the Baltimore City Detention Center, and the Central Booking and Intake Center. The Division also oversees Pretrial Release Services for Baltimore.

Appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services with the Governor's approval, the Commissioner of Pretrial Detention and Services heads the Division (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 5-101 through 5-302).

BALTIMORE CITY DETENTION CENTER

The Baltimore City Detention Center originated in the eighteenth century as the Baltimore City Jail. In 1802, it was replaced by a new jail on Mill Street on the east side of Jones Falls. An annex for women inmates was constructed in 1823. The jail structure served until 1860 when a new building opened at Madison Street and Jones Falls. Over the years, the building expanded. In 1960, connective north and south wings were constructed; in 1971, a separate jail for women was built.

By 1991, Baltimore City Jail consisted of seven buildings. Five were maximum- and medium-security structures: the Men's Detention Center; Women's Detention Center; Jail Industries Building; Wyatt Building; and the Annex Building. Minimum-security persons were housed in two satellite facilities: O'Brien House; and the Resident Labor Facility. In 1991, the State took over administration of the Baltimore City Jail and renamed it the Baltimore City Detention Center under the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services (Chapter 59, Acts of 1991).

The Baltimore City Detention Center is one of the largest municipal jails in the nation. Over 20,000 inmates are committed to the Center annually. The daily number of inmates averages over 3,000. The Center is a pretrial detention facility for any person committed or transferred to the custody of the Commissioner of Pretrial Detention and Services. As authorized by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Center also may house any person held in custody by any agency of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

The Warden is appointed by the Commissioner of Pretrial Detention and Services with the approval of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 5-401 through 5-406).

CENTRAL BOOKING & INTAKE CENTER

The Central Booking and Intake Center was first the Central Booking and Intake Facility which opened in July 1995 in Baltimore. All adults arrested in Baltimore are processed (booked) at the Center. Previously, suspects were booked at district police stations. The Center includes Pretrial Release Services; the District Court Commissioners for Baltimore; the Office of State's Attorney for Baltimore; and Baltimore City Police Services (Code Correctional Services Article, sec. 5-404).

The Center uses the Automated Booking System, designed to become a statewide criminal justice information network. Currently, six counties and the Center are part of the System. With uniform data entries, the System quickly identifies a detainee, and any previous criminal history or outstanding arrest warrants.

The booking process begins with a bar-coded bracelet assigned to the detainee for tracking purposes. Then, the detainee's personal, descriptive and demographic information is entered into the System. Biometric identification is done by laser-scan digitized fingerprinting and digitized video photos, which can be transmitted electronically for quick comparison.

As the booking process continues, the arresting officer enters data into the System about the arrest and charges. This report goes to an on-site District Court Commissioner who conducts an initial hearing to determine probable cause, set bail, and assign a trial date. After identification, the detainee is interviewed by a pretrial investigator. Booking then is completed. With new technology, the process is expected to take under four hours.

After booking, the detainee either is released on recognizance, posts bail, or is assigned to the Center. For intake, the detainee is issued a new bar code with a Maryland identification number and photograph, and undergoes a video bail review by a judge, eliminating the need to transport suspects to District Court. The efficiency of the process is intended to reduce the number of people jailed before trial and save the costs of housing defendants.

PRETRIAL RELEASE SERVICES

Formerly under the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, the Pretrial Release Services Division became a unit of the Division of Parole and Probation in 1985 (Chapter 725, Acts of 1985). In 1988, the Pretrial Release Services Division was established as a separate division within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Chapter 474, Acts of 1988). The Division reorganized as a program within the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services in 1991 (Chapter 59, Acts of 1991).

Pretrial Release Services investigates all defendants awaiting trial in criminal proceedings before the Baltimore City Circuit Court and the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore. The Program then provides the courts with verified information regarding the defendant's ties to the community and special problems such as alcoholism, drug addiction, or residential placement needs. The Program also makes recommendations to the courts regarding pretrial release or detention of defendants awaiting trial.

Of over 50,000 defendants screened annually, the Program supervises and monitors approximately 19,000 defendants for whom the court orders pretrial release. Urine testing surveillance is used for some of these defendants. At trial or in subsequent proceedings, the Program reports to the court on the defendant's compliance with the terms of pretrial release. These compliance reports are used for sentencing decisions and, in some instances, plea bargaining negotiations.

To minimize unnecessary incarceration, the Program develops alternative sanction plans under court supervision, and arbitrates or mediates disputes when requested by the court. Under scrutiny of the courts, the State's Attorney, and the Public Defender or private counsel, the Program presents and defends alternatives to prosecution.

In addition, the Program reviews the status of defendants in pretrial detention in the Baltimore City Detention Center. To reduce overcrowding, the Program recommends options to the court, such as scheduling early trials; monitors writs, detainers, and violations of court orders; and further investigates the feasibility of recognizance or reduced bail for some defendants.

The Director and Deputy Director are appointed by the Commissioner of Pretrial Detention and Services with the approval of the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 5-301 through 5-302).

DIVISION OF CORRECTION

The Division of Correction administers State correctional facilities. The Division is responsible for Administration and Special Programs; Inmate Programs; Security Operations; the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic, and Classification Center; the Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System; State Use Industries; and ten State prisons:

Metropolitan Transition Center (formerly Maryland Penitentiary) (Baltimore)
Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center (Baltimore)
Maryland Correctional Institution - Hagerstown
Maryland Correctional Training Center (Hagerstown)
Roxbury Correctional Institution - Hagerstown
Maryland House of Correction (Jessup)
Maryland Correctional Institution - Jessup
Maryland Correctional Institution for Women - Jessup
Eastern Correctional Institution (Westover)
Western Correctional Institution (Cumberland)

The Division of Correction dates to the nineteenth century when the first State prisons - the Maryland Penitentiary and the Maryland House of Correction - were erected. Prior to 1916, the two prisons were autonomous. Each operated under the jurisdiction of either a board of directors or a board of managers appointed by the Governor. In 1916, these institutions were placed under the State Board of Prison Control (Chapter 556, Acts of 1916). To administer the prisons, the Board of Welfare superseded the State Board of Prison Control in 1922 (Chapter 29, Acts of 1922). In 1939, the Department of Correction and the Board of Correction replaced the Board of Welfare (Chapter 69, Acts of 1939).

The Superintendent of Prisons became administrator of the Department of Correction in 1953 (Chapter 758, Acts of 1953). Policies and appointments for institutions under Department jurisdiction were made by the Board of Correction upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Prisons. In 1962, the Advisory Board of Corrections replaced the Board of Correction, and the Superintendent of Prisons was succeeded by the Commissioner of Correction (Chapter 123, Acts of 1962). The Department of Correction was renamed the Department of Correctional Services in 1968 (Chapter 137, Acts of 1968).

State correctional responsibilities were assigned to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in 1970 (Chapter 401, Acts of 1970). At that time, the Department of Correctional Services reorganized as the Division of Correction within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

The Commissioner of Correction is appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services with the approval of the Governor and Senate advice and consent (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 3-202 through 3-207).

CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEES
Citizens' Advisory Committees for correctional institutions report to the Commissioner of Correction and the Governor about concerns of citizens residing in the vicinity of each institution. Committees serve the regions around Baltimore, Cumberland, Hagerstown, Jessup, and Somerset County. The Committee for Somerset County has eight members and all other Committees have seven members appointed to three-year terms by the Governor (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 10-401 through 10-407).

ADMINISTRATION & SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Administration and Special Programs is responsible for Data Services, Human Resources, Policy Review and Publications, and Training.

INMATE PROGRAMS

Under Division jurisdiction, correctional institutions classify inmates to determine how they should be confined and supervised. Once the security level of confinement has been determined, the specific conditions of confinement are evaluated for an inmate and, where appropriate, programs are offered in education, vocational training, employment, substance abuse counseling, and psychological and psychiatric intervention and security.

Prisons provide education, including elementary and secondary school instruction, advanced and specialized study, and vocational and on-the-job training. The instruction in pre-release units prepares inmates to obtain high school equivalency certificates. Prisons and pre-release units also offer programs for inmates to develop or relearn occupational skills. Inmates are assigned to a variety of maintenance tasks, as well as to the diversified State Use Industries Program. These programs provide goods and services needed by certain public agencies. For example, several prisons operate their own laundries which also serve other State facilities.

Established in 1963, the Work Release Program permits certain prisoners to leave confinement for work at gainful employment in the community (Chapter 285, Acts of 1963). They return to the institution at the end of the work day. In 1968, this privilege was extended for attending school (Chapter 551, Acts of 1968). Under certain conditions, the Commissioner of Correction may authorize special leave for prisoners to seek employment or participate in special community rehabilitation programs. Weekend leaves also may be granted under certain conditions (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 3-801 through 3-811).

Inmate Programs directs five units: Case Management; Commitment; Correctional Education; Inmate Affairs; and Religious and Volunteer Services.

SECURITY OPERATIONS
Under Security Operations are Adjustment Hearings, Emergency Preparedness and Inventory Standards, Facilities Security, Housing Coordination, the Investigative Unit, and the K-9 Unit.

MARYLAND RECEPTION, DIAGNOSTIC & CLASSIFICATION CENTER

The Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center began in June 1967 as a reception center in the south wing of the Maryland Penitentiary (Chapter 695, Acts of 1967). At its present location, the Center opened in October 1981. Here, male inmates diagnostically are evaluated, classified, and assigned to an institution of the Division of Correction. A maximum-security facility, the seven-story Center has a rated capacity of 400 inmates (Code 1957, Art. 27, secs. 689(g)-700(a)).

METROPOLITAN TRANSITION CENTER
(formerly Maryland Penitentiary)

The Metropolitan Transition Center is Maryland's oldest State prison. It was first named the Maryland Penitentiary. Authorized in 1804, the Maryland Penitentiary opened in 1811 (Resolution no. 32, Acts of 1804). In February 1998, the Penitentiary was reorganized as the Metropolitan Transition Center. The Center now incarcerates short-term offenders where previously it had held those long-term prisoners requiring maximum security.

As the Maryland Penitentiary, the major portion of the Center's physical plant was built in 1894. A south wing was completed in 1899. The most recent additions were made in 1956. Then, the old administration building and one of the original cell houses were replaced by a sixty-bed general hospital for men in the correctional system.

A maximum-security section to confine prisoners under sentence of death and an execution chamber were erected in 1956. Executions ceased in Maryland from June 1961 to May 1994. By statute, in 1994, the method of execution was changed from lethal gas to lethal injection (Chapter 5, Acts of 1994).

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL ADJUSTMENT CENTER

The Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center opened in 1989 under jurisdiction of the Maryland Penitentiary. In October 1997, the Center was made an independent unit under the Division of Correction.

The Center is a maximum-security prison for men. Located across the street from the Maryland Penitentiary, it functions as a satellite of the Penitentiary, housing the most violent criminals. The Center, known as Supermax, is designed to hold 288 prisoners, one to a cell.

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - HAGERSTOWN

The Maryland Correctional Institution - Hagerstown is a medium-security prison for men in Washington County. Authorized in 1931 as the Maryland State Penal Farm (Chapter 366, Acts of 1931), it opened, after funding delays, in 1942. In 1945, the Penal Farm was replaced by the Maryland State Reformatory for Males (Chapter 519, Acts of 1945). The Reformatory was renamed Maryland Institution for Men in 1962, and Maryland Correctional Institution in 1964.

Additional housing has been added to the prison. The Western Program Development Center opened as an emergency housing unit of 420 beds in 1983.

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL TRAINING CENTER

The Maryland Correctional Training Center, a medium-security institution, was authorized in 1966 (Chapter 385, Acts of 1966). The Center offers educational and vocational training to male inmates. Prisoners who are not amenable to rehabilitation remain in or are transferred to the Maryland Correctional Institution - Hagerstown.

On the grounds of the Maryland Correctional Training Center, a work release center occupies a separate building. The work release center has a rated capacity of 75 beds and houses those inmates on the Work Release Program and several inmates who are part of the institutional cadre. Another minimum security unit, opened in 1977, has a rated capacity of 128 beds.

ROXBURY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

The Roxbury Correctional Institution is a 721-bed medium-security prison for men. It opened in 1980 as the Roxbury Emergency Housing Unit with a 128-bed capacity at the Maryland Correction Institution-Hagerstown. As a separate facility, the Roxbury Correctional Institution opened in December 1983.

WESTERN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

A medium-security prison in Allegany County, Western Correctional Institution opened July 13, 1996. It is designed to house 1,296 inmates with some 450 staff. Based on prototypes of the facilities at the Maryland House of Correction Annex in Jessup, housing consists of a 144-cell unit and three 192-cell units. Two of these units, along with support services, basic site work, utilities, and perimeter security were completed in 1996. The facility opened with the capacity to house 768 inmates. The remaining housing units were completed in 1997.

The Institution's central services - administration, maintenance, laundry, and warehouse - are set apart from inmate housing areas. Food is shipped from the Hagerstown central kitchen several times per week, with final preparations in the Institution's finishing kitchen. The perimeter security fence is maximum security.

MARYLAND HOUSE OF CORRECTION

The Maryland House of Correction is the second oldest prison in the State. As Maryland's only maximum-security prison, it confines male prisoners sentenced to long terms. Authorized in 1874 and opened in 1879, it also is a medium-security institution for men serving sentences of three months or longer (Chapter 233, Acts of 1874). The prison is situated on 800 acres south of MD Route 175 between U.S. Route 1 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in both Anne Arundel and Howard counties.

MARYLAND HOUSE OF CORRECTION ANNEX

Opened in October 1991, the Maryland House of Correction Annex is a maximum-security facility, adjacent to the Maryland House of Correction. Formerly part of the Maryland House of Correction, the Annex was made a separate institution in February 1999.

The Annex consists of five housing units, each holding 192 cells. Designed for double bunks, these units include the statewide protective custody unit. The Annex also holds a segregation housing unit of 144 cells where inmates are isolated from the general prison population either as punishment, or voluntarily for their own protection. A support services building houses the dining room, education and vocational training, and medical services.

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION - JESSUP

The Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup opened in 1981 as an annex to the Maryland House of Correction. Now a separate facility, the Institution still shares certain services with the House of Correction. The Institution is a medium-security prison with a rated capacity of 512 male inmates serving sentences of three months or longer.

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN - JESSUP

In the nineteenth century, women prisoners first were housed in quarters reserved for them at the Maryland Penitentiary. The Maryland House of Correction, opened in 1879, also was built with separate quarters for women. Although advocated by the Maryland Penitentiary Penal Commission in 1913, not until 1939 did the State construct a separate prison for women.

On land adjacent to the House of Correction, a separate prison for women was authorized in 1937 (Chapter 487, Acts of 1937). A grant from the federal Works Progress Administration augmented State funds and construction began in 1939. What is now the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women - Jessup received its first prisoners on October 1, 1940, and formally was established in 1941 as the Women's Prison of the State of Maryland (Chapter 71, Acts of 1941). The Prison was renamed Maryland State Reformatory for Women in 1945 (Chapter 520, Acts of 1945). In 1962, it became the Maryland Institution for Women and adopted its present name in 1964.

The Reception-Diagnostic Classification Center at the Institution receives all adult women who have been convicted of felonies and misdemeanors and sentenced to the jurisdiction of the State for terms of six months to life. After classification at the Center, women inmates are transferred to a prison to complete their sentences.

In November 1999, the Baltimore Pre-Release Unit for Women came under the Institution's jurisdiction.

BALTIMORE PRE-RELEASE UNIT FOR WOMEN
301 North Calverton Road
Baltimore, MD 21223

The Baltimore Pre-Release Unit for Women began in July 1975 as the Community Corrections Center for Women. In 1978, the Center was renamed the Pre-Release Unit for Women and placed under jurisdiction of the Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System (Code 1957, Art. 27, secs. 706-710E). The Unit moved from 4500 Park Heights Avenue to its present site in July 1991. At that time, it was renamed Baltimore Pre-Release Unit for Women. The facility has a capacity for 100 inmates.

BALTIMORE PRE-RELEASE UNIT FOR WOMEN ANNEX
4500 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215

With a capacity for 36 inmates, the Annex opened in November 1993 at the former site of the Baltimore Pre-Release Unit for Women.

EASTERN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

Located in central Somerset County, the Eastern Correctional Institution opened in 1987. The Institution is a medium- and maximum-security prison for men. It has a rated capacity of 1,440 inmates.

MINIMUM SECURITY COMPOUND
(EASTERN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION ANNEX)
30420 Revells Neck Road
Westover, MD 21890 - 3368

In September 1993, the Minimum Security Compound opened as the Eastern Correctional Institution Annex. It is a 420-bed minimum-security facility under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Correctional Institution. The Compound consists of three housing units, one support building, and an outside recreation area. It is outside the secure perimeter of the Eastern Correctional Institution compound.

POPLAR HILL PRE-RELEASE UNIT
P. O. Box 14
Quantico, MD 21856 - 0014

Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit was created in 1950. Formerly under the Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System, the Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit became part of Eastern Correctional Institution in November 1997.

Originally, the Unit provided inmate labor to the highway departments of Wicomico, Dorchester, Somerset and Worcester counties. Now, inmates at Poplar Hill provide public services through contracts with the State Highway Administration, Deer's Head Center, the Department of Natural Resources, and local governments. In a renovated farm house on the premises, educational and employment readiness programs are conducted. Vocational programming is available through contract with the Somerset County Board of Education. Pre-release programming includes work release and family leave.

MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL PRE-RELEASE SYSTEM

The Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System operates units that provide work and other rehabilitation for men and women. System facilities mainly house inmates in the Work Release Program. Before assignment to a pre-release unit, inmates are screened carefully at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center or at the institutions to which they are assigned.

Within the System are Brockbridge Correctional Facility (a medium-security institution), the Home Detention Unit, and three minimum-security units: Jessup Pre-Release Unit, Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp, and Baltimore City Correctional Center. The System also is responsible for four pre-release units: Baltimore Pre-Release Unit, Central Laundry Pre-Release Unit, Southern Maryland Pre-Release Unit, and Eastern Pre-Release Unit.

Minimum-security pre-release units originated in 1955 as work camps (Chapter 266, Acts of 1955). Later, they became known as correctional camps (Code 1957, Art. 27, sec. 689(f)). In 1972, the camps were renamed community correctional centers (Chapter 464, Acts of 1972). Four years later, they reorganized as community adult rehabilitation centers (Chapter 234, Acts of 1976). The centers transferred to the Correctional Pre-Release System in July 1978, and were renamed pre-release units in September 1978.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BROCKBRIDGE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
P. O. Box 537
7930 Brockbridge Road
Jessup, MD 20794 - 0537

The Brockbridge Correctional Facility originated as Sandy Point Correctional Camp. In 1966, the Camp relocated to Jessup as the Maryland Correctional Camp Center (Chapter 385, Acts of 1966). Renamed Brockbridge Correctional Facility, the Center was converted to a medium-security facility in 1979.

JESSUP PRE-RELEASE UNIT
P. O. Box 536
2000 Toulson Road
Jessup, MD 20794 - 0536

After the former Jessup Pre-Release Unit reorganized as the Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp in August 1990, a new Jessup Pre-Release Unit opened in September 1990. Under both minimum- and pre-release-security, the Unit offers education, job-readiness training, and work release. Inmates provide labor for Spring Grove Hospital Center, Crownsville Hospital Center, the State Police Barracks at Waterloo, and the Maryland State Agency for Surplus Property.

Designed for 420 male inmates, the Unit underwent construction in 1992 which increased capacity to 560 inmates.

HERMAN L. TOULSON CORRECTIONAL BOOT CAMP
P. O. Box 1425
2001 Toulson Road
Jessup, MD 20794 - 1425

The former Jessup Pre-Release Unit became the Herman L. Toulson Correctional Boot Camp in August 1990. The Camp was named after Herman L. Toulson, Jr., a correctional officer who was stabbed by an inmate in the south wing of the Maryland Penitentiary on October 6, 1984.

A minimum-security institution, the Boot Camp is a setting where staff and inmates focus on changing behavior and confronting destructive attitudes. Through disciplined activities, Boot Camp enables inmates to examine and change their attitudes and values, confront their mistakes, and accept responsibility for their acts.

To be eligible for Boot Camp, inmates must be under 26 years of age, serving five years or less of their first adult incarceration, and not serving a sentence for a crime of violence. Inmates must volunteer for the program and be medically, physically and psychologically fit.

Boot Camp is based on strict discipline established through regimented physical training, military drill, and comprehensive rules and regulations. Inmates labor on State highways five days a week. On Saturdays, inmates work on special projects for local nonprofit organizations. The Boot Camp is maintained by the inmates. Academic school is mandatory each weekday evening. Counseling for substance abuse, decision-making, and behavior modification is available for each inmate. Daily, the Camp averages 300 inmates.

BALTIMORE CITY

BALTIMORE CITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER
901 Greenmount Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21202

With a capacity for 250 inmates, the Baltimore City Correctional Center opened in July 1984 as part of the Maryland Correctional Pre-Release System. The Center houses male prisoners who require minimum security.

OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING CENTER
920 North Forrest St.
Baltimore, MD 21202

Following recommendations in the Action Agenda Plan for Maryland State Prisons, the Occupational Skills Training Center opened in February 1993. The Center provides reintegration services to Baltimore area prisoners to reduce recidivism and prepare inmates for productive and law-abiding lives. Services include skill training, employment-readiness training, and job placement. The Center is a partnership of the Division of Correction, Department of Business and Economic Development, State Department of Education, and Baltimore City Community College. Area colleges also participate.

The Center delivers employer-approved training and supportive services to inmates. Seven vocational areas are targeted: automotive services; graphic arts; health; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning; home improvement; office work; and warehousing and distribution. The Center is developing public-private partnerships with industry.

BALTIMORE PRE-RELEASE UNIT
926 Greenmount Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21202

The Baltimore Pre-Release Unit opened in April 1981. The Unit was created from the merger of the Community Vocational Rehabilitation Center and the Greenmount Avenue Pre-Release Unit. The Baltimore Pre-Release Unit prepares inmates to return to the community. Unit programs and services emphasize job readiness training, work crews, work experience, and work release.

HOME DETENTION UNIT
2100 Guilford Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21218

In 1990, the General Assembly authorized the Home Detention Program (Chapter 414, Acts of 1990). Started in January 1991, the Program allows carefully selected inmates to serve the last part of their sentences in the community. Inmates are monitored by an electronic anklet, periodic telephone voice-verification, and random visits by correctional staff. The Unit operates 24 hours a day, seven days per week, to enforce inmate compliance and provide rehabilitation services. The Program began with 40 inmates in Fiscal Year 1991 and, as of September 1, 1999, has served 19,200 inmates. Parolees and persons awaiting trial also are eligible for home detention.

CARROLL COUNTY

CENTRAL LAUNDRY PRE-RELEASE UNIT
P. O. Box 394
Sykesville, MD 21784 - 0394

The Central Laundry Facility formed in 1960 to serve the laundry needs of institutions under what is now the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Located at Springfield Hospital Center, the Unit also takes care of laundry for institutions of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice. The Unit is a minimum-security institution.

CHARLES COUNTY

SOUTHERN MARYLAND PRE-RELEASE UNIT
P. O. Box 159
Route 1
Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 - 0159

Southern Maryland Pre-Release Unit was dedicated in 1962. Approximately one-fourth of the men assigned to the unit are employed in the community through a work-release program. Other inmates labor in work details for the Natural Resources Police Force, the State Police Barracks at Waldorf and Prince Frederick, the Charles County Department of Public Works, the State Highway Administration, and the Maryland Veterans Cemetery at Cheltenham. The Unit can house 180 male inmates.

QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY

EASTERN PRE-RELEASE UNIT
P. O. Box 122
Church Hill, MD 21623 - 0122

Eastern Pre-Release Unit opened in 1964 in Queen Anne's County. The Unit can house 180 male inmates in open-style dormitories. Educational, vocational, employment and release readiness programs are available to the prisoners as are recreational, religious and addictions programs.

STATE USE INDUSTRIES

State Use Industries was established under the Board of Correction in 1937 (Chapter 213, Acts of 1937). In 1970, the program was placed within the Division of Correction. The program was designed to provide essential work and training for prisoners and to produce needed goods for State government with inmate labor.

At a cost that does not exceed the prevailing average market price, State Use Industries supplies services and produces goods. These are used by municipal, county, State and federal institutions or agencies and those of other states. They also are available to any charitable, civic, educational, fraternal or religious association, institution, or agency for its own use and not for resale to others within one year of purchase (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 3-501 through 3-528).

State Use Industries works through five divisions: Fiscal Services; Marketing; Operations; Personnel; and Sales. The agency is aided by the State Use Industries Management Council.

STATE USE INDUSTRIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
The State Use Industries Management Council originated in 1981 as the State Use Industries Advisory Committee (Chapter 661, Acts of 1981). In 1999, it reorganized under its present name (Chapter 324, Acts of 1999). The Council recommends the establishment and maintenance of industrial plants and service centers within the Division of Correction to implement State Use Industries programs. Operated primarily with inmates, sites are run in a manner that benefits the State and provides training for inmates.

The Committee has fifteen members. Eight are appointed by the Governor (five of them to three-year terms); one is chosen by the Senate President; and one by the House Speaker. Two serve ex officio (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 3-517 through 3-523).

CUSTOMER COUNCIL
The Customer Council formed in 1999 to advise the General Manager of State Use Industries (Chapter 324, Acts of 1999). The Council includes representatives of government agencies, and three members appointed by the Governor. Consisting of eleven members, the Council is chaired by the General Manager (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 3-524 through 3-528).

PATUXENT INSTITUTION

Authorized in 1951, Patuxent Institution opened in 1955 under administration by the Department of Correction (Chapter 476, Acts of 1951). The Institution became an autonomous agency under the control of the Board of Patuxent Institution in 1961 (Chapter 629, Acts of 1961). In 1970, the Institution was made part of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Chapter 401, Acts of 1970). Patuxent's status has continued as an institution separate from the Division of Correction, and it has retained its own board.

Patuxent Institution treats and rehabilitates eligible male and female prisoners who are mentally disordered or physically impaired, including some chronic youthful offenders. The Institution offers medical, psychiatric, psychological and social casework services, as well as academic, vocational, recreational and religious services. Treatment also is provided for individuals on pre-parole and parole status.

The Commissioner of Correction may refer a prisoner to Patuxent Institution for evaluation when so recommended by the sentencing court, the State's Attorney of the jurisdiction in which the person was last sentenced, or the staff of the Division of Correction. The Commissioner also may refer prisoners in response to their applications. Each referred prisoner is transferred to the Institution and evaluated by a team consisting of at least three professional employees of the Institution, including at least one psychiatrist, one psychologist, and one social worker. The evaluation team assembles and reviews relevant information and examines the prisoner. The team then determines whether the individual is eligible and states its findings in a report to the Director. If not eligible, the prisoner is returned to the Division of Correction to continue his or her sentence. If eligible, the prisoner remains at Patuxent Institution for treatment.

Appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Director administers the Institution. Of two Associate Directors, one must be a psychiatrist and one a behavioral scientist. They assist primarily in diagnosis and treatment. The Warden is in charge of custody. By law, the staff also must include at least three additional psychiatrists or clinical psychologists, and at least four trained social workers (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 4-101 through 4-401).

CITIZENS' ADVISORY BOARD
The Citizens' Advisory Board for Patuxent Institution organized in 1989 (Chapter 6, Acts of 1989). The Board advises the Director of Patuxent Institution and the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services on the operation and programs of Patuxent Institution (Code Correctional Services Article, sec. 4-207).

BOARD OF REVIEW
The Institutional Board of Review for Patuxent Institution was created in 1951 (Chapter 476, Acts of 1951). The Board was reorganized and renamed as the Board of Review in 1989 (Chapter 6, Acts of 1989).

At least annually, the Board reviews the status of each inmate at Patuxent Institution. The Board may grant leave or parole and, if it determines that the individual is no longer eligible for the Institution's programs, it may order the individual transferred to the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Correction. If a person has successfully completed three years probation without violation, the Board may petition the court to suspend or vacate the remaining sentence.

The Board's nine members include the Director, the Warden, and two Associate Directors of Patuxent Institution. With Senate advice and consent, the Governor appoints five members to serve four-year terms. The Governor names the chair (Code Correctional Services Article, sec. 4-205).

COMMUNITY TREATMENT RE-ENTRY FACILITY
319 West Monument St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

To provide for continuation of treatment, the Patuxent Institution operates the Community Treatment Re-Entry Facility, a halfway house in metropolitan Baltimore. Here, clinic staff offer psychotherapy, job and family counseling, and social casework services for work-release inmates. The Facility also houses an After Care Center for the Correctional Options Program, with clinical guidance through Patuxent Institution.

MARYLAND PAROLE COMMISSION

The Maryland Parole Commission started in 1914 as the Advisory Board of Parole (Chapter 500, Acts of 1914). In 1922, Board functions were assumed by the Parole Commissioner (Chapter 29, Acts of 1922). The Board of Parole and Probation succeeded the Parole Commissioner in 1939 (Chapter 406, Acts of 1939). In 1968, the Board of Parole and Probation reformed as the Board of Parole (Chapter 457, Acts of 1968). It was replaced by the Maryland Parole Commission in 1976 (Chapter 540, Acts of 1976).

Having served one-fourth of the term or consecutive terms in confinement, a prisoner is considered for parole if sentenced to a term of six months or more under jurisdiction of the Division of Correction, or any other place of confinement or detention for violators of State criminal laws. This includes local jails and detention centers.

The Commission has exclusive power to hear certain serious cases for parole release and to conduct hearings for revocation of parole. The Commission can issue warrants for the return to custody of alleged violators of parole and can suspend or revoke parole upon a showing of its violation.

To hear certain cases for parole release, the Commission uses hearing examiners. Decisions of the examiners, if concurred with by the Commission on summary review, become final. A final decision of the examiner may be appealed to a panel of Commission members for review upon the record. The decision of the appeal panel is final.

The Commission may ask the Division of Parole and Probation, the Division of Correction, or the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services to make investigations to help determine the advisability of granting parole. The Commission evaluates information from the Division of Parole and Probation on the behavior of parolees. In addition, the Commission directs the Division of Parole and Probation to conduct investigations from which recommendations are made to the Governor on pardons, commutations of sentences, and parole of persons sentenced to life imprisonment.

Tri-party contracts for the release on parole of an inmate at a predetermined future date, and upon the fulfillment of conditions specified in the contract may be negotiated and executed by the Commission. Signatories to such mutual agreements are the Maryland Parole Commission, the Commissioner of Correction, and the inmate.

The Commission's eight members are appointed to six-year terms by the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services with the Governor's approval and Senate advice and consent. With the Governor's approval, the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services names the chair (Code Correctional Services Article, secs. 7-201 through 7-208).

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