MARYLAND ORDERED TO REDUCE PRISON INMATE POPULATIONS BY 1,000 IN EIGHT MONTHS

Oct 13, 2026

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Maryland prison officials were ordered by two federal judges to cut the inmate population by 1,000 within eight months, removing prisoners from Baltimore’s State Penitentiary and the House of Correction in Jessup. The judges cited unconstitutional cruelty tied to overcrowding, especially double-celling inmates in 40–44 sq. ft. cells. Late last week, permanent bans applied to the House of Correction, while the Penitentiary faced conditional limits. Deadlines prompted appeals and concerns about public safety, while state plans relied on new facilities and an accelerated parole approach.

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MARYLAND ORDERED TO REDUCE PRISON INMATE POPULATIONS BY 1,000 IN EIGHT MONTHS

Permanent Prohibition

Substantial Threat

JESSUP CORRECTIONS OFFICERS SET UP PICKET LINE TO PROTEST LACK OF TRAINING, MANPOWER

August 11,1978 Vol.9No.16 ## MARYLAND ORDERED TO REDUCEPRISON INMATE POPULATIONSBY 1,000 IN EIGHT MONTHS Federal Judges Say Housing Two Prisoners In40-44 Sq.Ft.Cells 'Offends Human Decency' Maryland has just been ordered by twofederal judges to remove 1,000 inmates in eightmonths from the overcrowded State Penitentiaryin Baltimore and the House of Correction inJessup. Conditions in the two prisons representunconstitutionally cruel and unusual punish-ment,according to U.S.District Court JudgesAlexander Harvey II and Stanley Blair.The twojudges issued separate opinions on the institutionslast May as a result of two class-action lawsuitsbrought by prison inmates. In their May opinions,the two judges foundthat the heart of the overcrowding problem atboth prisons is the widespread practice of hous-ing two inmates in one cell. In the House of Correction,"double-cell-ing"allowed more than 1,700 inmates to becrammed into a facility designed for 1,100.Inthe Maryland Penitentiary,there are more than 1,500 inmates--over 1,000 double-celled.Thetwo judges said housing two prisoners in 40 to44 sq.ft.cells offends “contemporary standardsof human decency.” ## Permanent Prohibition Late last week,Judge Harvey issued a rulingpermanently prohibiting Maryland correctionsofficials from double-celling inmates at the Houseof Correction.At the same time,Judge Blairruled that the State Penitentiary may have up to(Continued on page two) IN THIS ISSUE. Maryland Goes Under Court Order: Given 8 Mos.To Cut Population By 1,000....1Picket Line Up At Jessup:Corrections Officers Protesting Lack Of Training ......2Audit Catches Poor Accounting: Maryland Penitentiary Cited.........3Richard Hongisto On Board In New York: Controversial Figure Promises Hard Work.....3NIC GRANT AWARDS ..........5Delaware Corrections Averts Court Order: Last-Minute Phone Call Puts Off Inevitable....5JOB LISTINGS..,....... ..7Inmate Murders In Atlanta's Federal Prison: Bowdach Gives Congress Grisly Details.....7Prisons As 'Excel Centers':Rev.Jackson Launches Campaign To Transform Penology...,8ACROSS THE STATES...,......9Prison Industries Report Available... ...10Federal Death Bill Dies In Senate: McClellan's Death Voids Political Pact... . 10Escaped Convicts Murder Family:Arizona Offering $10,000 Reward.......10 25 cells for double-celling under certain circum- stances and that prisoners must first give volun- tary,written permission before they can be dou- ble-celled. The two judges have ordered correctionsofficials to remove 100 prisoners from each pri-son by December.After that,the courts orderedthat officials remove 100 prisoners each monthfrom each prison for the next four months. ## Substantial Threat According to Maryland Attorney GeneralFrancis Burch the deadlines will pose“A sub-stantial threat to public safety.”Burch addedthat the state does not intend“to participate inany program requiring the premature release ofviolent offenders whose release poses a threat topublic safety.” Burch said the state will begin an immediateappeal of the judges'orders.So far,the statehas not offered any proposal for meeting theeight month deadline if it does not win theappeal. Thomas Peddicord,the chief legislativeofficer for Gov.Blair Lee III,said flatly that itwould take 22 months for the state to reduce thepopulations at the maximum-security peniten-tiary and the medium-security House of Correc-tion. Peddicord said the state will have no problemmeeting the December deadline but does not knowhow it will meet the timetable ordered for thenext four months.The state's 22-month pro-posal for reducing the inmate populations relieson the 1980 opening of a new prison at Jessup tohouse 500,and the opening of a second prisonat Hagerstown to house about 135 which isscheduled to open in 1979.Peddicord said thestate had ordered a construction speedup on thetwo facilities to come within the 22-month time-table Last month,Corre

FAQs

What did the two federal judges order Maryland to do?

They ordered Maryland to remove 1,000 inmates in eight months from the overcrowded State Penitentiary in Baltimore and the House of Correction in Jessup.

Why did the judges conclude conditions were unconstitutional?

They found housing two inmates in shared cells leads to overcrowding and cited the practice as offending “contemporary standards of human decency.”

How did Maryland plan to respond to the deadlines?

Maryland’s Attorney General said the deadlines pose a substantial threat to public safety and the state planned an immediate appeal, while officials argued reducing populations would require additional time and depended on new prison openings and accelerated parole preparations.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Jake