Inmates Reported To Run Prison (Press, 1 October 1970)
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Summary: Inmates Reported To Run Prison (Press, 1 October 1970)
On 30 September 1970, it was reported that the Kansas State Penitentiary operates under the control of prisoners who engage in illicit activities, including gambling, homosexual rackets, and marijuana cultivation. This revelation came during a Senate subcommittee investigation led by Senator Thomas Dodd, where Dr Do Hardesty from a Topeka personnel evaluation firm presented findings from a study conducted between 1968 and 1969. Dr Hardesty's testimony revealed a shocking degree of inmate control over daily prison operations. He reported that inmates not only ran gambling activities but also provided sexual services, notably involving younger and weaker prisoners as homosexual prostitutes. The control inmates held extended to managing drug distribution and overseeing medical treatment within the prison's hospital. When asked by Senator Dodd if conditions at the prison had improved since his last investigation, Dr Hardesty confirmed that inmate control remained largely unchanged. Dodd highlighted a 1969 raid that uncovered four pounds of marijuana in the prison hospital, with Dr Hardesty explaining that the marijuana was cultivated right on the prison farm. The hearing also featured other witnesses, including Mr Luther Hicks, a member of an Indiana penal reform committee, and Mr Robert Gordon, regional director of an Indiana anti-defamation league. Hicks publicly criticised the Indiana Governor, Mr Edgar Whitcomb, for his lack of effective prison reform and presented allegations of numerous abuses linked to the governor's actions, such as advocating for oppressive legislation that blocked humane measures. Gordon added that the prison staff in Indiana often participated in a patronage system, where political appointees were expected to share a portion of their salaries with the governing political party. Overall, the testimonies at the Senate hearing shed light on the serious deficiencies and corrupt practices within the prison systems in Kansas and Indiana, raising urgent questions about the need for reform in the treatment and management of inmates.
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