Republican former Gov. Bob Ehrlich and former public safety and corrections secretary Stu Simms, a Democrat, are pushing for the passage of the Justice Reinvestment Act.
Read the full report covered by WBAL-TV.
By Paul DeWolfe, Scott Shellenberger
We are two unlikely allies on criminal justice reform: a longtime public defender and a longtime prosecutor. Although we represent opposing sides of a criminal case, and often opposing sides of policy battles, we both believe strongly in justice and public safety, and we want the best for Maryland citizens. It is these common beliefs that bring us together now to back the Justice Reinvestment Act (SB 1005/HB 1312), a data-driven, evidence-based policy package, which we are proud to have helped develop.
Read the full article in the Baltimore Sun
Maryland legislators recently took an important first step toward improved public safety by introducing the Justice Reinvestment Act. This package of common-sense reforms will reduce Maryland’s unnecessarily large prison population, freeing up several hundred million dollars to expand reentry and treatment resources badly needed across the state. We urge enactment of this historic legislation.
Read the full article in the Washington Post.
Friends Committee on National Legislation has an on-line tutorial about lobbying in Washington DC. FCNL also invites citizens to contact the representatives in Congress to support Justice Reinvestment for federal prisons. FCNL’s work on decarceration focuses on S2123, the Sentencing Reform Act (with lots of bipartisan support) and a parallel bill in the House. For general information about the bills see the analysis of FCNL.
See our February Newsletter which focuses on the 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act.
In Germany, we found that respect for human dignity provides palpable guidance to those who run its prisons. Through court-imposed rules, staff training and a shared mission, dignity is more than legal abstraction.
The question to ask is whether we can learn something from a country that has learned from its own terrible legacy — the Holocaust — with an impressive commitment to promoting human dignity, especially for those in prison. This principle resonates, though still too dimly at the moment, with bedrock American values.
By Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
During the 2015 Legislative Session, Gov. Larry Hogan signed into law a bill establishing a “Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council,” that was to develop policies to “further reduce the state’s incarcerated population, reduce spending on corrections, and reinvest in strategies to increase public safety and reduce recidivism.” Late last month, the council released a comprehensive reform package that will save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars over the next 10 years and make our streets safer.
This move should be applauded and is long overdue. It represents a dedication by Maryland’s leaders to reform a bloated and inefficient corrections system. For example, last year the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services accounted for nearly 14 percent of the total state workforce and 7.1 percent of expenditures from the general fund. State spending on corrections has increased by 10 percent since 2006, adjusted for inflation.
State lawmakers’ plans to boost police accountability and transparency took shape Monday as a task force approved 22 recommendations aimed at restoring trust in law enforcement.
Democratic leaders in the Maryland General Assembly will push a bill that would grant more rights to victims of police brutality, roll back special rights given to police accused of wrongdoing, create a unified complaint system for tracking problem officers and allow the public to watch police disciplinary boards.
1. Because of Maryland’s broken parole system, taxpayers have spent millions of dollars incarcerating people who could safely be released, most of whom are African American.
2. Maryland is one of only three states that require gubernatorial approval to grant parole to parole eligible lifer’s. This requirement wrongly politicizes the parole process.
