Jessup Correctional Institution
| Coordinates | 39°8′40″N 76°46′40″W / 39.14444°N 76.77778°W |
|---|---|
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum adult males |
| Population | 1,396 (daily average) (as of 2010) |
| Opened | 1991 |
| Former name | Maryland House of Correction-Annex |
| Managed by | Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services |
| Warden | Robert Dean |
| Street address | 7805 House of Correction Rd |
| City | Jessup |
| County | Howard County |
| State/province | Maryland |
| ZIP Code | 20794 |
| Country | United States |
| Website | Official website |
Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI) is a maximum security prison operated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in Jessup, Maryland. It was formerly called the Maryland House of Correction-Annex.[1][2]
Prisoners
In 2013, inmates from JCI helped remove asbestos from contaminated buildings at the Maryland House of Correction.[3] A lifer at JCI, Larry Bratt, wrote about dying in prison.[4] Inmates at JCI participated in the Beyond Scared Straight program.[5] Inmates at JCI participate in the Prison Puppy Raising Program.[6] A 2010 phone call to a college class by Marshall Conway, a former black panther in Baltimore, from inside JCI inspired an award-winning documentary, Comrade Sunshine.[7]
One prisoner, Wes Moore, is one of the subjects of the 2010 book The Other Wes Moore by Westley "Wes" Moore, who shares a similar name.[8]
Education
Inmates have a library that they use for legal research and writing, writing letters, and other purposes.[9]
JCI has a college program, called the Prison Scholars Program, run by Joshua Miller.[10] Many of the courses in the JCI Prison Scholars Program are on philosophy.[11] A chapter in "The Beautiful Prison" discusses a philosophy course run by Loyola University Professor Drew Leder and the scholars at JCI. The chapter is titled: "The Enlightened Prison: Drew Leder and the Jessup Correctional Institution Scholars."[12]
Starting in August 2016, the University of Baltimore has begun offering bachelor's degrees JCI prisoners in Community Studies and Civic Engagement.[13] This program is a part of the US Department of Education's Second Chance Pell Experiment,[14] which involves 66 other universities. However, University of Baltimore is the first to implement the program.
Notable incidents
In 2008, Kelvin Poke, a man who was serving a life sentence at JCI, escaped from a local hospital and was killed by police.[15]
In 2012, a man killed his cellmate and eventually pleaded guilty to the crime.[16]
In 2015, three correctional officers were placed on administrative leave after an inmate was found dead inside a cell full of steam.[17] Visits were halted after an outbreak of an illness.[18] A former JCI guard was suspected of shootings in Maryland.[19]
In August 2016, an inmate was stabbed to death by other inmates in the F building. Officers responded to the call of a fight around 10 AM and found the victim, John A. O'Sullivan lying on the floor with multiple stab and puncture wounds.[20]
In May 2023, Nicholas Joseph Delfosse, an inmate at JCI, was found in his cell with multiple injuries. An autopsy revealed Delfosse was stabbed to death and his death was ruled a homicide.[21]
Notable inmates
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Horton | 1019284 / 189182 | Serving a life sentence. | Convicted murderer who is best known for his crimes being noted in an ad during the George H. W. Bush 1988 presidential campaign.[22][23][24] |
| Sean Urbanski | 4511249 / 00481576 | Serving a life sentence. | Perpetrator of the 2017 Murder of Richard Collins III in which he was stabbed to death by Urbanski on the University of Maryland, College Park campus.[25][26][27][28][29] |
References
- ^ "Emptying the Maryland House of Correction eases community safety concerns and prosecution costs". tribunedigital-baltimoresun. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Baltimore Sun (January 17, 2014). "Demolition of House of Corrections [Pictures]". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Matas, Alison. "Inmates help tear down House of Correction, earn professional certifications". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Bratt, Larry (March 21, 2013). "Dying in prison can be cruel". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Andy Dehnart (February 24, 2011). "Beyond Scared Straight's Real-Life Controversy". yahoo. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Our Puppies". Canine Partners for Life. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Documentary featuring AFSC staffer wins top prize". afsc.org. American Friends Service Committee. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Baker, Jeff (January 15, 2011). "Q&A with the other Wes Moore: Why him and not me?". Oregonlive.com. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "Prison Library Offers A Place To Escape". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "JCI Scholars Program". Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Woods, Baynard. "A prison philosophy program tells us what we can learn about life from lifers". City Paper. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Leder, Drew (May 16, 2014). The Beautiful Prison. EmeraldBooks. ISBN 9781783509669. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Give Prisoners a Second Chance". Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ Douglas-Gabriel, Danielle (June 24, 2016). "12,000 inmates to receive Pell grants to take college classes". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 18, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
- ^ Schoetz, David. "Cops Kill Prison Lifer Who Escaped Hospital". ABC News. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Pratt, Tim. "Convicted murderer pleads guilty to killing cellmate at Jessup Correctional Institution". Capital Gazette. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Jessica. "3 correctional officers placed on leave after inmate found inside cell full of steam". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Wenger, Yvonne. "Visits halted at Jessup prison after outbreak of illness". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Molinet, Jason (March 4, 2015). "Former corrections officer going through divorce charged in five Maryland shootings, including gunfire at NSA building, police say". NY Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Jessup Prison Fight Leaves One Dead: Police". Columbia, MD Patch. August 15, 2016.
- ^ Ng, Greg (July 7, 2023). "Jessup prison inmate charged with murder of cellmate". WBAL. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ Love, Keith (October 8, 1988). "Bush Backers Have Horton Victims Speak". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ "A couple who was attacked by a convicted murderer... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ "THE BARNESES AND THE HORTON DEBATE". Washington Post. December 31, 2023. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ "Maryland student's dad mourns son's 'horrific and senseless' killing". NBC News. May 22, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ "Bowie State Student's Alleged Killer Indicted On Murder Charge - CBS Baltimore". www.cbsnews.com. July 13, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ Robertson, Stephanie Ramiraz and Marcella. "Former University of Maryland student to face hate crime charge in stabbing death". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ Mettler, Katie (January 15, 2021). "Sean Urbanski sentenced to life in killing of Black Army Lt. Richard Collins III". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ "White Man Gets Life In Prison For Killing Black Army 1st Lt. Richard Collins III". NPR. Retrieved January 30, 2024.