East Jersey State Prison

East Jersey State Prison

East Jersey State Prison (EJSP), originally Rahway State Prison, was established in 1896 as the first reformatory in New Jersey.^[1] It is a maximum-security institution operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections, housing approximately 1,500 men as of 2013.^[2]

Although the prison's mailing address is in Rahway, the prison is located just outside of Rahway in Avenel in Woodbridge Township. On November 30, 1988, at the request of the citizens of Rahway,^[3] the prison was renamed East Jersey State Prison. The prison's large dome is a landmark visible from nearby US Route 1-9 and New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line routes.

History

In 1895, the New Jersey Legislature voted to establish the state’s first reformatory. A year later, construction began at Rahway on state property known as Edgar Farm.^[4] The prison opened in 1901 and originally housed male offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 who were first-time offenders.^[4]

The first superintendent, J. E. Heg, served only for a year. He was succeeded by Joseph W. Martin, who led the institution until his death in 1909.^[5] Martin was succeeded by Dr. Frank Moore, who retired in 1929.^[6]

The prison features a large walled compound 21 acres (85,000 m²) in size, which contains the administration building, cell houses, schoolrooms, chapel, shops, and other buildings. The prison was surrounded by hundreds of acres of farmland that the inmates worked.^[1][6] By 1908, there were two four-tiered cell houses. One cell house contained 256 cells measuring 9’ x 5’ x 8.6’, while the other had 384 cells that were only 7.1’ x 5’ x 8’. A 1928 inspection reported that the cells were equipped “with a fair quality of toilet and lavatory.”^[1]

The reformatory years

When the institution first opened in 1901, it was called simply the New Jersey Reformatory. The reformatory held 193 young men.^[4] The number of inmates had increased to 525 by 1912 and to 745 by 1928.^[1][4] Of the 514 prisoners admitted during 1928, 304 (59%) were under twenty years of age, 164 (32%) were twenty to twenty-four, and 46 (9%) were from twenty-five to twenty-nine years old, with a racial breakdown of 406 (79%) White and 108 (21%) African-American.^[1]

Rahway was originially run on a conduct “grading” system. A book of rules and regulations supplied to each inmate when he arrived discussed what was expected of him and the consequences of violating the rules. All inmates entered the prison in the “second grade” and had the opportunity to advance or be demoted depending on their behavior.^[1] Inmates in different grades were granted different privileges.

The inmates' days at Rahway consisted primarily of school and work. They woke at 5:45 a.m. with lights out at 9 p.m. Those who had to attend school went to classes for half the day and worked the other half. The prison offered vocational training and jobs, including tailoring, cooking, shoe-making, printing, electrical work, farming/gardening, plumbing, and painting.^[4]

Transition to adult prison

With the opening of reformatories at Annandale (1928) and Bordentown (1937), Rahway changed from a reformatory to a prison for adult males.^[5][6]

In 1930, construction began on additions to the institution. Between 1931 and 1932, industrial and laundry buildings were added. A new dormitory wing, “Two Wing,” was built in 1932. It contained two dormitories housing 150 men each, thereby increasing the prison’s capacity to 900 inmates.^[6] In 1951, Rahway’s capacity was furthered increased to 1,000, when the last wing, “Three Wing,” was constructed. As years passed, renovation on the institution continued. In 1967, one of the old buildings was improved and made into “Five Wing.” From 1985 to 1988, trailers were erected and old buildings renovated (textile and laundry) for housing and dining facilities. These new additions became “Six, Seven, and Eight Wings.”^[5]

Riots and escapes

From April 17–22, 1952, prisoners took officers hostage during a riot after officers beat inmates with nightsticks. The riot ended when the inmates were gassed.^[7] On Thanksgiving Day in 1971, 500 inmates held 6 hostages, including the warden, for 24 hours. Six officers were injured, three with stab wounds in the early hours of the riot.^[7] The inmates demanded a more sufficient diet, regulation of commissary prices, improvement of the educational system and vocation training, better discipline of officers, and additional medicine supplies including aspirin. Ultimately, the prison was retaken with no loss of life and the captives were set free without the use of firearms.^[4][8]

On August 11, 1972, three convicted murderers escaped by sawing through the bars of a third-floor window. Three officers were held responsible for the escape and suspended. In August 1980, in an effort to reduce the numbers of escapes, the prison issued gray prison uniforms to the prisoners.

Recent History

In 1988, Rahway State Prison was renamed East Jersey State Prison after Rahway residents claimed that being identified with the prison stigmatized the city and affected property values.^[9] However, residents of the region surrounding the prison still refer to building by its former name. The demographic makeup of the prisoners has changed significantly since it opened in 1901.

The Education Department of East Jersey State Prison offers a variety of programs to the inmates. Vocational training courses include auto-body, auto mechanics, culinary arts, painting and decorating, and horticulture. The prison offers primary education (A.B.E. Course) and secondary education (GED) courses to the inmates. Inmates who are high school or GED graduates can take college classes offered through Union County College’s “Project Inside” program.

Eastern State in popular culture

East Jersey State Prison

Boxing

High-profile professional boxers who were incarcerated in East Jersey State Prison:

• Former middleweight contender Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who was freed in 1985 after being sentenced to two consecutive life terms.^[10]
• Dwight Muhammad Qawi, who became a two-time world champion after his release from East Jersey State Prison.
• James Scott, a title contender, who had many bouts inside the prison itself, including a fight against Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1981.^[11]

Music

• Former middleweight contender Rubin Carter, was the inspiration for the 1975 Bob Dylan song, "Hurricane" and the 1999 film, The Hurricane.^[10]
• The Lifers' Group, a government-sponsored hip hop music program for long term inmates, started at East Jersey State Prison. Similar to the acclaimed film, Scared Straight!, the songs were aimed to discourage children from falling into a life of crime. In 1991, the group released an album and an EP, titled “#66064”, featuring songs, "The Real Deal" and "Belly of the Beast".^[12] A 30-minute documentary, directed by Penelope Spheeris, focusing on the group's songs and depicting life in East Jersey State, was released in 1992. The film was nominated for a Grammy in 1992 in the 'Best Music Video, Long Form' category. Madonna won the award; the other nominees included: Billy Joel, Sinéad O'Connor, and Peter Gabriel.^[13][14]

Movies

• Rahway (East Jersey) State Prison is infamously known as the filming location of the 1978 documentary, Scared Straight!, which features footage of members of The Lifers' Group fiercely warning delinquent teens of the brutal realities of prison life. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1978.^[15] It also won two Emmy Awards in 1979 for 'Outstanding Individual Achievement–Informational Program' and 'Outstanding Informational Program'.^[16]
• The prison's original distinctive architecture, including its large dome, radial cell blocks, and imposing metal gates has appeared in many films, including:
  • Crazy Joe (1974),
  • Something Wild (1986)
  • Lock Up (1989)
  • City of Hope (1991) (Made reference to in the film)
  • Malcolm X (1992)
  • Rounders (1998)
  • He Got Game (1998)
  • The Hurricane (1999)
  • Ocean's Eleven (2001)
  • Jersey Boys (2014).

Notable Inmates

• Robert Reldan - Serving a life sentence for two counts of murder.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to East Jersey State Prison.

• East Jersey State Prison
• East Jersey State Prison old official website

Coordinates: 40°35′N 74°16′W / 40.59°N 74.27°W / 40.59; -74.27

New Jersey Department of Corrections prisons
State prisons	Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility Bayside State Prison Central Reception and Assignment Facility East Jersey State Prison Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women♀ Garden State Youth Correctional Facility Mid-State Correctional Facility Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility New Jersey State Prison Northern State Prison Southern State Correctional Facility South Woods State Prison
Closed (partial list)	Riverfront State Prison
Prisons are for men unless they are marked as for women (♀)