[Letter to Activists]
Prisons in Maryland are dangerous and unhealthy. Incarcerated individuals are often subjected to acts of violence and other abuse from others, sometimes from staff. Incarcerated individuals often have trouble obtaining adequate medical care, examinations, diagnostic tests and medication. Incarcerated individuals often have trouble worshipping as they wish.
Both incarcerated individuals and staff often face retaliation for reporting misconduct, and thus misconduct can become widespread and entrenched. Moreover they often face retaliation if they seek redress of their grievances. Correctional administrations are notoriously defensive and closed to outside review. A short list of criminal scandals in Maryland’s correctional system can be found here.
What is needed in Maryland is a completely independent mechanism of oversight of the correctional system. The Correctional Ombudsman in the Office of the Attorney General would be an independent, impartial public office – not part of the Department of Corrections – that serves the state of Maryland by promoting positive change in corrections.
What we need you to do.
Ask your legislator to support HB0604/SB0512 creating the office of the Correctional Ombudsman and establishing a Correctional Ombudsman Advisory Board. Let your legislator know how you feel about the scandals in our prisons.
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[Email to legislator]
As your constituent I am writing to ask for your support for HB0604/SB0512 to redress problems in Maryland’s correctional system.
The pandemic has highlighted so many inequities and racial disparities that exist in all of our systems and infrastructures. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in our state prison system. The men and women behind bars in Maryland continue to endure restrictive lockdowns, prolonged disruption of already limited programming, restricted access to courts (law library, legal mail), the inability to practice their faith, subpar healthcare services (including mental healthcare) and denied contact with family and loved ones.
State prisons failure to adhere to proper CDC COVID protocol – through proper testing, vaccine issuance, quarantining, boosting, PPE issuance and health education – unnecessarily have subjected women and men to the virus and its variants. Clearly the overseers need external oversight – someone from the outside looking in.
The Correctional Ombudsman Bill, HB0604/SB0512, proposed by MAJR and sponsored by Senator Shelly Hettleman and Delegate Debra Davis, will provide the oversight necessary to hold DPSCS prisons accountable to Maryland residents and impacted communities.
Prisoners’ correspondence regularly complains about being subjected to acts of violence (including from staff) and witnessing the mental breakdown of others due to forced idleness. Their written grievances go unanswered and their attempts to follow the formal administrative remedy process bring them no relief. Volunteers, family and community members complain about the inconsistent rules from institution to institution about visitation, self-help and volunteer programs.
The Ombudsman office will investigate complaints from women and men behind bars, staff, volunteers and family members. This office will have the ability to conduct independent reviews and inspect the prison premises via unannounced visits.
Findings from their investigation will be issued in a report within 30 days after the completion of their investigations and the complainants will be notified about action taken, which could include resolution through mediation. The advisory board, made up of returning citizens, nonsupervisory staff, family members, social workers and others, will inform and assist in identifying priorities to investigate.
With the Correctional Ombudsman bill we can create an environment that respects the rights of persons detained, family, volunteers and staff. Transparency and accountability will move Maryland in the direction of creating more humane and restorative conditions without fear of retaliation.
Please vote to pass HB 604 and SB 512 to make our prisons safer, more humane, and more responsive. For more information see the issue brief: https://www.ma4jr.org/ombuds/ Do you have questions or reservations? I would appreciate your letting me know.
