Mr. Richard A. Lanham, Sr.
Commissioner of Corrections,
Division of Correction
6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
Re: Correctional Education and Risk to Public Safety
Dear Mr. Lanham:
I have in hand your letter of July 7 regarding my earlier correspondence to Delegate Maloney on the above topic. I wanted you to know that I did send "blind" copies of same to you, Mr. John Linton, Warden Waters of MCIH and the principal of the MCIH school program.
I note that in your letter you say, "I wonder where the money will come from." It is precisely for this reason I showed "copies" only to Secretary Robinson and Secretary Grasmick. I wanted to impress upon Delegate Maloney and others that the solution to the problem can only come about through the legislature and with cabinet level cooperation.
My thoughts regarding rehabilitation/recidivism are much like your own. It is unfair to expect the Division to cure every social ill of its residents. Correctional Education cannot solve every problem. Nevertheless, reiterating from my letter to Delegate Maloney:
... the demise of Correctional Education at MCIH is going to manifest itself as a direct contributor of future crimes.
This is a very painful reality, but I am convinced of its veracity (and I am not new to the prison system). I know that difficult choices and allocations are going to be made, particularly in the next legislative session. Whatever the choice and whatever the outcome, the truth of the above statement cannot be avoided.
Enclosed herewith is a copy of a letter by Mr. John Linton of the Department of Education in the event you may not have received one. Also enclosed is my response to him. I have suggested he fill out the enclosed chart in the hope we might be able to identify "problem areas", but I don't have the authority to compel him to do so. I ask that you might encourage him to do same.
In closing, my letter to Delegate Maloney was not intended as criticism of you, Mr. Linton or your respective Divisions. It was to call attention to a disturbing and intractable reality. I, too, pray things will change for the better.
Sincerely,
Nancy Moran
nm
cc:
Delegate Timothy Maloney
Ms. Nancy S. Grasmick
Mr. Bishop Robinson
Mr. John Linton