Mr. Richard A. Lanham, Sr.
Commissioner of Correction
6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
Re:
Classification at the Institutional Level: A Follow Up
In particular: Donnell C - 144-### - formerly of MHC, JPRU, BBCF, MCIJ,
MCIH, and
to my best information presently at MCTC
Dear Mr. Lanham:
Many, many months ago, on May 22, 1994, I wrote to you concerning one Donnell C, #144-###, then housed at MCIJ.
Mr. C had written me with an encyclopedic overview and highly detailed knowledge and familiarity with the classification system. I made a synopsis of the major points and criticisms which you apparently found favor with and in a letter dated June 6, 1994 ordered Mr. Eugene Nuth to rereview this inmate's file to determine whether the "assignments in this case are procedurally correct and appropriate".
You also stated you in your June 6 letter that you were referring my letter to Mr. Jack Kavanagh, Acting Director of Case Management "with the request that he take your comments into consideration when making future reviews of directives associated with the classification process."
Unfortunately, by the time Mr. C and I received your letter, Mr. C I understand had been transferred to MCIH and, on or about November 30, 1994 to MCTC. To this day, he is apparently still enmeshed and embroiled in many of the fine points and ennui and aggravating details of the classification process. In fact, it appears that Mr. C has acquired an utter mastery of this confounding administrative process so much so that he now comes to me alleging he has been "going through a mental change because of the negligence in the Classification teams ..." "... with minimum status only on paper ... being warehoused in a medium operated facility."
From what I can tell of Mr. C's letter of April 5, 1995, he took a psych test on July 8, 1994 which he and the parole board found agreeable. But then, a Dr. Yonker, assistant to Chief R. Thomas requested more psych information from MHC, JPRU and BBCF. Because this information was never received, the inmate says he was "forced" to take another psych test on September 2, 1994. To make a long story short, the inmate has been filing letters and grievances and other inquiries to at least two wardens and psych teams it sounds like at three different locations. My records show that the inmate has a thirty-one (31) year sentence commencing September 2, 1976 and over the years has accrued a great deal of diminution credit of all types. I do not recall the reason why he was pulled from the Pre-Release System in the past.
This inmate's instant request of me is that I induce the Psych Department of MCIH to acknowledge receipt of a test done on July 28, 1994.
My concern in all this is that everybody involved is missing the forest for the trees. I am presuming this inmate wants to go to Pre-Release and work release but there is no indication in his writing that he is even aware of this goal anymore. The institution(s) on the other hand are busily swatting paperwork in and around his direction. There is no evidence that some comprehensive awareness or direction is going on or that the inmate's sterling 19-year record on a 31-year sentence will ever be rewarded by movement toward work release.
My other concern is that the classification process enmeshes all participants in minutiae and that it takes a flair for litigation for an inmate to go from one step to the next. I realize the instant inmate is probably unusual in this regard, but I am also concerned about other inmates in similar circumstances everywhere else in the system.
Would you please do me a favor and straighten out this inmate's file, figure out where he's going and what is stopping him, if anything? Finally, would you or your office issue a written statement of same and share copies with 1) the institution, 2) the classification team, and 3) the inmate? Please give the inmate a definitive statement of 1) where he is, 2) what paperwork may or may not be still needed, and 3) when he is up for his next review. Then please give me an even broad idea of this inmate's status so I will be able to cope with him and others in the future.
Thank you for your attention to this letter. If you need to contact me, my number is (410) ###-####.
Sincerely,
Nancy Moran
nm
cc: Mr. Jack Kavanagh
Acting Director, Case Management