AN EX-COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONS IN DELAWARE REVIEWS THE STATE'S CORRECTIONAL SITUATION, CRITICIZING THE REPRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE PUBLIC ATTITUDE AND NEGATIVE LEGISLATIVE INVOLVEMENT IN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
THE STATE'S SMALL SIZE AND THE DOMINANT PROVINCIALISM OF TWO OF ITS THREE COUNTIES DETERMINE THE BACKWARD NATURE OF ITS CORRECTIONAL POLICIES. DELAWARE HAS ONLY THREE PRISONS, TWO FOR MALES AND ONE FOR FEMALES, AND NO JAILS, RESULTING IN THE MIXTURE OF PRETRIAL DETAINEES AND HARD-CORE PRISONERS IN THE SAME FACILITIES. THE MAJOR INSTITUTION, BUILT IN 1971, HAS NO GYMNASIUM OR WORK OPPORTUNITIES, WHILE A CHAPEL AND EXTENSIVE SECURITY EQUIPMENT ARE PROVIDED. MOREOVER, STAFF TRAINING IS COMPLETELY LACKING. EXAMPLES OF LEGISLATIVE 'MEDDLING' ARE CITED, WHICH HAVE SERVED TO HAMPER EFFORTS AT ADMINSTRATIVE IMPROVEMENTS AND CIRCUMVENTED COURT-ORDERED REFORMS. PROVINICIALISM, WITH POORLY QUALIFIED LEGISLATORS RESPONDING TO NARROW-MINDED, EPISODIC CONSTITUENT DEMANDS IS BLAMED. EXAMPLES OF ILL-CONCEIVED LEGISLATION INCLUDE A BILL TO DICTATE THE NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS ALLOWED FOR INMATES, AND AN ACT WHICH REVAMPED THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF CORRECTIONS WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR IMPLEMENTATION. A SUIT FILED AGAINST DELAWARE CORRECTIONS INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE OF OVERCROWDING RESULTED IN COURT ORDERS THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS ABLE TO NULLIFY BY REWRITING STATE LAWS, AND IGNORING THE HUMANITARIAN ISSUES INVOLVED. ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE LEGISLATURE. THE AUTHOR'S 3-YEAR TENURE IN THE POST OF CORRECTIONS COMMISSIONER IS REVIEWED, INCLUDING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS DISMISSAL. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)