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By BONNIE ADAMS Times Leader Staff Writer
Monday, November 15, 1999     Page: 3A

JACKSON TWP. – The new superintendent appointed to the State Correctional
Institution at Dallas after August’s escapes was previously demoted and
transferred from another state prison after allegations that guards used
unnecessary force, a corrections spokesman said.
   
Superintendent Ben Varner was moved from SCI Greene in 1998 after inmate
allegations that guards used undo force while bringing inmates into the
restricted housing unit.
    “We felt it was appropriate at the time, serious enough that he be
demoted,” said Department of Corrections spokesman Michael Lukens. “We’re
not denying that there was a problem at Greene and it happened on his watch.”
   
But he said Varner was not directly involved in any wrongdoing at the
maximum-security prison in western Pennsylvania.
   
Corrections Department Secretary Martin F. Horn previously said an internal
investigation at SCI Greene found a “sufficient number of cases” to suggest
a pattern of unnecessary force.
   
Lukens said four officers were dismissed and others were disciplined.
   
The department appointed Varner superintendent at SCI Retreat, a
medium-security prison in Hunlock Township, to give him a second chance,
Lukens said. He took a $6,000 annual pay cut.
   
“He had to prove to himself and the department that he was someone who
should be a superintendent,” Lukens said. “He looked at Retreat as an
opportunity to become better.”
   
Lukens said Varner met the challenge and earned a good reputation.
   
He pointed to Varner’s strong background in prison security as making him
“an obvious choice” to head SCI Dallas after Anthony Yang and Michael
McCloskey escaped on Aug. 16.
   
Former Dallas Superintendent David Larkins and security at the prison came
under fire after the escape. Larkins announced his retirement on Sept. 1 in a
closed-door meeting with Horn.
   
Lukens said employees at SCI Dallas have been “energized” since Varner
was appointed.
   
Varner could not be reached for comment.
   
SCI Dallas spokesman Ken Burnett on Friday cited Varner’s accomplishments.
   
“He has increased communication with the staff,” Burnett said. “Staff
morale has increased.”
   
He said Varner also instituted “continuous feeding” that makes feeding
inmates less time consuming and is working closely with the maintenance
department to address heating, window and roof problems. Under Varner,
installation of the security camera system on the fence perimeter is
progressing.
   
Joan Gauker is a long-time prison volunteer and member of GraterFriends
Inc. of Norristown, a non-profit group associated with SCI Graterford outside
Philadelphia.
   
She questioned Varner’s appointment during testimony at a Nov. 4 state
House Judiciary Subcommittee public hearing at SCI Dallas. But last week she
said she has heard he is doing a good job.
   
Gauker still questions the correction department’s seemingly subjective
discipline of workers and the message that it sends.
   
She said some are “brutally” disciplined, while others receive “coddling
nurturing.”
   
“I believe there has to be a measure of consistency that speaks to the
department not tolerating these infractions,” Gauker said.