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Prosecutors push Biden to prioritize criminal justice reform
A group of more than 100 former and current prosecutors and law enforcement officials is calling on President Joe Biden to prioritize criminal justice reform.
Jails emptied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Should they stay that way?
Criminal justice reformers argue that the COVID-19 pandemic of the past year proved there is no need to keep so many people locked up in the U.S.
Researchers find racial disparities across court system
Black and Latino defendants in Massachusetts are more likely than white defendants to be locked up for drug and weapons offenses and get longer sentences than white people sent to prison for similar crimes, researchers at Harvard Law School said in a report released Wednesday.
Journalists, advocates sue judiciary members over broadcast ban
A group of journalists and nonprofits is asking a federal court to declare unconstitutional Maryland’s law against broadcasting lawfully obtained recordings of criminal proceedings. The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, claims the law “impedes the public’s ability” to know what is happening in court. The plaintiffs want to use the recordings [&he[...]
Prosecutors seek prison for dealers, treatment for victims in opioid crisis
As the opioid crisis rages in Maryland, prosecutors are continuing to develop and hone strategies to get help for those in need while also punishing distributors contributing to the problem.
Increasing prison sentences – by any name or number – won’t stem violence
In response to various legislative proposals from Gov. Larry Hogan, Maryland is on a fast track to pass a poorly conceived law that, if enacted, will grow Maryland’s prison population with little impact on our safety. The full Senate on Thursday gave preliminary approval to an omnibus bill that includes increasing sentence terms for an […]
Editorial Advisory Board: Time to reform solitary confinement
There’s an effort for reform of solitary confinement ( also known as “restrictive housing” or “administrative segregation”) in Maryland jails and prisons in the General Assembly. Senate Bill 539 (cross-filed with House Bill 786) seeks some limitations on the practice of using restrictive housing for non-disciplinary reasons and would severely limit the practice for “vulnerable [&hellip[...]
Defunded criminal justice council plans to re-form, continue work
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council voted to disband Wednesday just weeks after Gov. Larry Hogan stripped it of its funding but also agreed to form a new body to continue the council’s work. Hogan announced Sept. 15 the council would be stripped of all funds after meeting with members behind closed doors in late August to discuss Baltimore […]
Md. juvenile services’ screening initiatives reducing unnecessary detention
A decline in the number of juveniles securely detained in Maryland is expected to continue, thanks to ongoing modifications and tools in use by the state’s Department of Juvenile Services to standardize the intake process.
Justice Dept, police meet for summit on violent crime
WASHINGTON — Justice Department officials met Wednesday with police commanders, mayors and FBI leaders from across the country to discuss ways to reduce violent crime. The summit came amid a rise in murders in many large American cities this year. In Washington, D.C., for instance, there have been 120 homicides reported this year compared to […]
Half of US blacks say police have treated them unfairly
WASHINGTON — A majority of blacks in the United States — more than 3 out of 5 — say they or a family member have personal experience with being treated unfairly by the police, and their race is the reason why. This information, from a survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs […]
Prosecutor: Texas jail death investigated thoroughly
HEMPSTEAD, Texas — A Texas prosecutor says the death of a black woman whose family disputes authorities’ finding that she hanged herself in a jail cell is being examined as thoroughly as a murder investigation. Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said Monday that there are many unanswered questions about the death of Sandra Bland, […]
