Governors in Maryland are accountable to you, the public, and are elected to their position every four years. How much information is available for you to make the decision? Are the candidates for Governor “tough on crime” or are they “smart on crime”?
MAJR has prepared a short list of questions reflecting your concerns. All candidates for Governor identified by the State Board of Elections have received this survey.
The questions posed are:
- What is your understanding of the racial disparities in Maryland’s criminal justice system? To the extent your office could make a difference, how would you address these disparities?
- Would you support a statewide survey of all Md. State’s Attorneys’ offices to identify any racial / ethnic fairness disparities in charging and plea-bargain policies?
- In your opinion, is there a difference between being “tough on crime” and “smart on crime”? Please give examples of what you might do in office in this regard.
- A statewide program that provides substance abuse and mental health screening for those in pretrial detention will expire in 2023. Will you support renewal of this program for substance abuse and mental health screening and treatment of pretrial detainees?
- Will you support programs to improve Maryland prisons, for example, providing independent oversight, reducing assaults, offering every incarcerated Marylander services to reduce recidivism, such as education, job-training, and counseling?
- Does Maryland need to expand access to criminal records’ expungement? Are the current statutes effective for ensuring public safety and equitable access employment and other opportunities?
- Do you support reform of our juvenile justice system (4 parts) to:- provide less incarceration and more treatment for lower level offenses?- prevent police from lying to juveniles to induce confessions?- create a presumption of school discipline or restorative justice for non-felony offenses on school grounds, rather than arrest and formal prosecution?- support treatment of juveniles who have been sex-trafficked as victims, not offenders
- Please add anything else that voters should know about your intended criminal justice policies.
See the responses for these candidates:
