Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center (MCAC) is a maximum level II (supermax or control unit) prison operated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services in Baltimore.[1]
MCAC was built in 1988, and is located at 401 East Madison Street in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Prior to February, 2011, inmates housed at MCAC were confined to their cells 23 hours a day Monday through Friday and 24 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. During their brief out-of-cell time they either recreate inside or outside but not both on the same day. Inmates had no physical contact with other inmates but had communications with others. They did not have access to phones and ate their meals in their cells.
The State of Maryland now has a contract with the federal government to solely house federal pre-trial detainees at MCAC. [2]These federal detainees are not subjected to the supermax conditions that the prior state inmates were subjected to. Federal detainees recreate together both inside and outside everyday of the week, eat together, and have access to phones.
Until June 2010, MCAC also housed Maryland's death row inmates (currently 5). Male death row inmates are now housed at the North Branch Correctional Institution in Allegany County, Maryland. Executions will still take place across the street from the MCAC at the former Maryland Penitentiary (now known as the Metropolitan Transition Center (MTC)).[3]
All visits to inmates/detainees are non-contact. Inmates/detainees and visitors are separated by a glass window and communicate by use of a phone. Visits are one hour long.
As with most prisons in Maryland, MCAC is headed by a Warden, Assistant Warden, and a Chief of Security. Rules and regulations of the Division of Correction and MCAC are enforced by uniformed correctional officers. Uniformed correctional officers consist of, in descending order of rank; Majors, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Correctional Officer II's, and Correctional Officer I's.