NJDARM: Archives Collection Guides: Dr. Lloyd W. McCorkle (1916-1984), Scrapbook on Corrections, 1946-1952

Lloyd W. McCorkle was born in Pleasant Valley, PA, on 15 December 1916. He graduated from Juniata College in 1940 with a B.A. degree in history and sociology. In 1953, he completed the Ph.D. program in sociology at New York University.

During World War II, Dr. McCorkle served with the 83rd and 75th Infantry Divisions, Twentieth Corps, at the Fort Knox Rehabilitation Center and as a psychological instructor in the Adjutant General's School at Fort Oglethorpe, GA. During 1946-1947, he worked as a case analyst and later civilian prison administrator in Tokyo for the Correction Division of the War Department.

In 1947, Dr. McCorkle began his extensive career in New Jersey state government service. He first worked, from 1947 to 1949, as the Assistant Director of the Division of Classification and Education (Correction), Department of Institutions and Agencies. From 1950 to 1952, he was Director of the Highfields Experimental Treatment Project for Youthful Offenders in Hopewell. From 1952 to 1953, he was Associate Principal Keeper and, from 1953 to 1957, Principal Keeper of Trenton State Prison.

In 1957, Dr. McCorkle was appointed Director, Division of Administration, Department of Institutions and Agencies. Two years later, in 1959, he was appointed Director of the department's Division of Correction and Parole. Finally, after serving several months as Acting Commissioner, Dr. McCorkle was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Institutions and Agencies by Governor Hughes on 22 May 1963. He retired from this position in 1971.

During his career, Dr. McCorkle also served on the faculties of New York City College, New York University, Columbia University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, the University of Vermont, and Syracuse University. He served on several state advisory boards and commissions, including the New Jersey Commission on Aging (of which he was Executive Secretary, 1958-1962) and the Commission on Narcotic Control (of which he was Chairman, 1957-1963). He was also active in various professional organizations and authored or co-authored several texts and monographs on corrections, including The Treatment of the Persistent Offender in United States Penal Policy (Ph.D. dissertation), The Highfields Story (1958), and Criminology and Penology (1959).

Dr. McCorkle died in 1984, survived by his widow and a son.