Maryland Penitentiary. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors for the Maryland Penitentiary in 1817 assumed the duties of the former Inspectors of the Penitentiary, and administered the prison from that year until 1916 (Laws of 1817, ch. 72). Originally composed of twelve members appointed by the Governor and Council with the governor as an ex-officio member, the board was required to meet at the penitentiary once every quarter. Although the daily Penitentiary operation was the responsibility of the "keeper" (i.e., warden), the board designated a two-member committee to visit the prison at least once a week to inspect the management of the penitentiary and the conduct of the keeper and his employees (Laws of 1809, ch. 138, sec. 38 and 39).

In 1837, the duties of the Board of Directors were redefined by the Laws of 1837, ch. 302. The new law reduced the board from twelve to six members and no longer included the governor as an ex-officio member. The legislation empowered the board to exercise complete control over the intitution's financial affairs and personnel matters, with the exception that the governor retained the power to appoint its warden. The two-member inspection committee evolved into a three-member "Monthly Committee" which, in addition to its former duties, represented the entire board when it was not in session. The Monthly Committee was required to submit a written report "concerning the condition and police of the prison" to the full board during its regular monthly meeting. Membership on the committee was rotated among the six Directors. A later law enabled the directors to change the rules and regulations of the penitentiary with the approval of the governor (Laws of 1845, ch. 101).

As progressive reform swept the nation in 1912, allegations surfaced concerning prisoner mistreatment at the Maryland Penitentiary. The governor appointed an independent commission to investigate the charges. The Maryland Penitentiary Penal Commission's 1913 report disclosed widespread mismanagement within the prison and established a Maryland precedent for prison reform.

Recognizing the need to centralize state authority over the penal system, the duties of the Maryland Penitentiary Board of Directors were assumed by the newly created State Board of Prison Control (Laws of 1916, ch. 556). The Board of Directors last met in September 1916.