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We Believe In ...
- Fairness
A person’s racial or ethnic group, economic background, or native language must not affect sentencing, punishment while in prison, access to education and job opportunities, parole, or re-entry supports.- Doing What Works
Our state’s criminal justice system should be accountable for using the practices that have been shown to reduce the likelihood of crimes and recidivism. For example, we know that family ties and visitors can reduce recidivism, so it is important that people who are incarcerated are assisted to maintain these critical connections with community.- Good Stewardship
Where sensible use of state resources can strengthen our communities to help them prevent crime – for example, through evidence-based programs for at-risk youth – we think this is a better use of our money than lengthy incarceration.- Second Chances
We believe that people can change. Given opportunities and support, people who have been incarcerated can choose to return to their communities and families as productive citizens.- Accountability
The state criminal justice system should maintain the data needed to be accountable to citizens. For example, it should be prepared to report on the racial and ethnic group of people in solitary confinement, the length of solitary confinement, and the alternatives to solitary confinement; the number of incarcerated persons who speak languages other than English and how the system is addressing communication issues; the mental health status of persons incarcerated and the measures taken to assist them in recovery.- Opportunities for Change
Many people involved with the criminal justice system have experienced trauma, are mentally ill, or have become addicted to substances. Others have learning disabilities, have never learned to read, or are developmentally impaired. We believe in access to treatment, in-prison opportunities, and community supports to help individuals turn their lives around.- Community Safety
We believe in safe, healthy communities. We believe all of us are safer when we use evidence-based interventions at every phase of involvement in the criminal justice system. We are all safer when:- sound community programs are available to prevent crime (for example, mentoring programs for at-risk youth);
- first offenders receive evidence-based interventions that help them avoid further involvement (for example, a diversion to treatment or mediation where appropriate);
- those who are incarcerated have opportunities to turn their lives around (for example, through fully funded NA and AA programs and opportunities to learn a skill); and
- returning citizens do not face barriers to finding treatment, jobs, and housing and are fully supported in their transition to community life so they never go back to prison.
Websites of Interest
The Ungers: A Matter of Time
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Baltimore Sun – 2/25/2015
“Sandtown-Winchester, the blighted community just west of downtown Baltimore that has been the target of multimillion-dollar revitalization efforts over the past two decades, is home to more people held in state prisons than any other census tract in Maryland, advocacy … Continue reading
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MAJR Press Release Letter
2015 may be the year Maryland begins to switch its criminal justice priorities from “tough-on-crime” to “smart-on-crime.” The Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform (MAJR) press release explains how this rare event will occur with: 1) a legislative commitment to reduce our state’s overuse of incarceration; and … Continue reading
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MAJR Press Release
A PLAN TO FIX “THE MESS” IN MARYLAND PRISONS? When the bipartisan “tough-on-crime” tidal wave rose from 1980 to 2000, Maryland and other U.S. states tripled their prison populations and taxpayer costs. Former Governor and state delegate Bob Ehrlich says, … Continue reading
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Scheduled Hearings
SB388 Criminal Procedure – Expungement – Restorative Justice Programs In the Senate – Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. SB526 Maryland Second Chance Act of 2015 In the Senate – Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. SB686 Maryland Uniform Collateral Consequences of Conviction … Continue reading
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MAJR Dates to Note
Saturday, February 21, from 9:00 to 1:00 Lobby Day Training in Baltimore City Where: Hicks Community Center, 2718 W. North Avenue, Baltimore 21216 Who: You, if you want to help bring changes to Maryland’s criminal justice system What: Learn to … Continue reading
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Join a Lobby Training Day
Let’s make a difference in Alternatives to incarceration (mediation, restorative justice, diversion) Screening of low-risk offenders for more effective corrections Prisoners’ employment and rehabilitation resources Pre-release support for jobs and re-entry services at detention centers Employer incentives for post-release job … Continue reading
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MAJR Lobby Day – December 13
We have been hearing a lot lately about police shootings of unarmed young African American men, and many member of AFM have been working on another aspect of our criminal justice system: the excess incarceration of people for minor offenses, … Continue reading
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The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization covering America’s criminal justice system. Neil Barsky, the founder of this project notes: The seeds of The Marshall Project were planted a few years ago after I read two books. The … Continue reading
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