A Digital Bibliography of SCI-Graterford

1971-1973:

• Robert L. Johnson becomes the first Black superintendent in the PA Correctional System. In a May 6, 1971 interview, Johnson states, "My philosophy is that when you are dealing with a person in prison, you are still dealing with a human being, not with absolutes."
• He implements progressive reforms:
  • Dignity and Language Shift: Incarcerated individuals were to be referred to as "residents" rather than "inmates" or "convicts."
    Staff were instructed to address residents by their names, not by their numbers.
  • Work and Education Release Programs: Allowed residents to leave the prison during the day to work or attend classes, returning to the facility at night. He also established pre-release centers to help ease reentry into society.
  • Furlough Program: Residents were granted temporary releases to visit family and community spaces, in an effort to maintain social connections and prevent isolation.
  • Recreational Outings and Speaking Engagements: Residents were permitted to speak at community events, attend religious services, and participate in off-site cultural programs.
  • Ending Dehumanizing Practices: The unnecessary use of violence by guards was strictly prohibited. Practices like having residents shine guards' shoes were ended.
• Guard Walkout: Guards staged a protest walkout, claiming that Johnson's emphasis on prisoner rights undermined their authority and compromised security.
• Over 1,500 residents from nearby Royersford signed a petition protesting the work-release program, which allowed residents to work at a local steel mill. Despite the Royersford Police Chief testifying that there were no incidents or violations from residents in the program, racist and class-based fears of Black men working in white communities fueled public outrage.
• A local Collegeville newspaper dubbed Graterford "a boiling pot of reform." Conservative politicians weaponized the controversy, using Graterford as a symbol of liberal prison policies gone too far.

1973:

• By 1973, after two years of reforms, Johnson's leadership was deemed too controversial. He was removed from Graterford and reassigned to the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. His removal marked the beginning of increased repression at Graterford, which culminated in violent uprisings in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as residents pushed back against worsening conditions and racist policies.
• Late December 1973: Julius T. Cuyler appointed superintendent.

1974-1979: 

• Cuyler restructures procedures, improves classification, and implements team-based decision-making.