Leadership
Message from the Director
James P. O'Neill,
Director
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the Baltimore County Department of Corrections web site. The web site is a collaborative effort designed to answer the most frequently asked questions. Operating an institution is a challenge, but the men and women of this Department are professionals, dedicated to operating a safe and secure jail. Please read the information carefully, regulations are necessary to maintain order, and feel free to call if you do not understand. Thanks for your interest as we relish the opportunity to serve the citizens of Baltimore County.
Message from the Deputy Director
Deborah J. Richardson,
Deputy Director
The Baltimore County Department of Corrections’ professional staff and volunteers provide effective and efficient services to all stakeholders. We are committed to providing quality service to our constituents to ensure public, staff and inmate safety. To this end, we maintain a secure, safe and clean environment as well as provide a myriad of programs to inmates incarcerated in our detention center. Additionally, we offer services to offenders who are referred by the courts to our alternative to incarceration programs.
The Department's web page provides descriptions of our programs and services as well as contact information. I trust that you will find the site both informative and helpful.
Mission Statement
- The mission for the Department of Corrections is to provide for public safety by confining pretrial detainees and sentenced offenders in a clean, safe, and secure detention facility, to ensure appearances at court, to provide self improvement opportunities, and to offer alternatives to incarceration.
- We are committed to providing professional growth of staff through training opportunities within the department and in the correctional community. This will enable staff to be partners in maintaining a high quality professional work-site that is safe for staff and inmates.
Certifications
- The Department of Corrections is audited and certified as required by the Maryland Commission on Correctional Standards.
- Newly hired correctional staff receives training and certification from the Baltimore County Department of Corrections’ Entrance Level Training Academy. This Academy is certified by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions.
- Correctional staff receives yearly in-service training on topics such as: security functions, firearms, defensive tactics, first aid, and C.P.R./A.E.D.
- The Department of Corrections operates a fully trained and highly qualified Emergency Response Team. ERT members are specially trained to respond to emergencies inside and outside the facility.
History of the Department of Corrections
The modern Department of Corrections was established by the County Council in 1993. Since the beginning of the County, the government has been responsible for safe incarceration of some citizens.
In 1854, the first Baltimore County Jail was built. Constructed of stone, the facility had no plumbing and was built like a fortress. The front of the facility was the Warden’s residence where the warden and his family lived. This facility is on the Register of National Historic Sites and is located on the corner of Bosley Avenue and Towsontowne Boulevard.
On the same location stood the second Baltimore County Jail that was built in 1955.Originally the building was intended to be an office building for the county. However, based on the need to provide additional inmate housing it was converted into a jail during construction. In 1975, the first annex was constructed. This annex was at the time state- of-the-art with electronically activated doors and held approximately 175 inmates.
In the late 1970s, a rise in inmate population developed as the county grew. Plans were made for the new construction of the Baltimore County Detention Center on Kenilworth Drive. The opening of this facility in 1982 intended to bring about the closing of the 1955 building; however, a swelling inmate population forced the reopening of the old jail.
This growing population also meant expansion in the facility’s Work Release Program. The County purchased several industrial trailers to house Work Release inmates. This was intended as a short-term solution (as the planning of the second annex had already begun). However, with the rising inmate population this temporary solution turned into a long-term commitment.
In order to remain constitutionally appropriate, an annex was added in 1994 adding much needed recreational areas and an enlarged kitchen. This expansion also allowed for the more humane housing of inmates with psychological issues.
The new $77 million state-of-the-art building opened May 5, 2006. This facility was constructed to meet modern correctional standards and can house approximately 1500+ inmates. The consolidation of correctional resources on one site allows the Department to maximize efficiencies in service delivery for inmates and safety. Housing unit design allows for the secure housing of inmates with various security levels. The new institution enhances safeguarding our communities by increasing our ability to secure lawbreakers safely in an efficient structure.
Revised October 26, 2011
