Maryland

Md. attorney general, public defender announce partnership to address mass incarceration – WTOP News

Published

11 months ago

October 25, 2023

Md. attorney general, public defender announce partnership to address mass incarceration – WTOP News

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) and Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue said some people view their offices as adversarial because of their different missions in the criminal justice system.

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

But on Wednesday at Bowie State University, they stood side-by-side to launch the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative.

“The truth is the [Office of the Public Defender] and the [Office of the Attorney General] are traditionally seen as opposite forces in the courtroom, adversaries on different sides of criminal law issues,” Dartigue said. “But today, we stand firmly together in collaboration. Why? The reason is simple. Mass incarceration, which is the systematic cycling of people from poor, marginalized communities in and out of jails and prisons, is a crisis in Maryland. We come together to eliminate the causes of mass incarceration.”

One main statistic they highlighted: about 70% of the state’s prisoners are Black, compared to 30% of the state’s overall population. The incarceration rate leads the country, the attorney general said.

Brown said he was surprised when Dartigue attended his swearing-in ceremony in January in Annapolis, which began the formation of an alliance.

“I said to Natasha then and I’ve said to her on multiple occasions since, and today we say publicly, that we are true partners in ensuring that the systems of justice in Maryland are in fact just,” he said. “This launch and this announcement represent for me what I believe in the 25 years that I’ve been in service to the state of Maryland, the people of this country, will be the most impactful initiative to change the lives of Marylanders.”

After both attorneys announced the launch of the collaborative, Brown said to reporters the initiative represents a comprehensive approach to not only ending systematic injustice against people of color, but also to keep communities safe.

“Those who commit crimes and violence, we’re going to hold accountable,” he said. “You can’t investigate and prosecute your way to safer neighborhoods because it certainly isn’t working in Maryland.”

Brown and Dartigue, who each represent the first people of color to serve in their respective offices, will co-chair the group that will be also known as MEJC.

About 40 people will be a part of the collaborative, including Vincent Schiraldi, secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services; Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu; Darren Popkin, executive director of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association; and Earl Young, a returning citizen.

Retired U.S. District Court Judge Alexander Williams Jr., who will also serve on the group, shared his own background as a public defender and a prosecutor in Prince George’s County.

“I am part of the problem,” he said. “So, my hand has been a part and parcel of some of the issues that we’re going to be focusing on today.”

Meeting of the minds

Williams joined a couple dozen representatives from state government, academics, criminal justice advocates and returning citizens Wednesday to discuss the group’s mission, committee structure and review areas of reform.

Members of the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative hold an introductory meeting Oct. 25, 2023, at Bowie State University. Photo by William J. Ford.

The offices of the attorney general and public defender will partner with the Center for Education, Justice & Ethics at the University of Maryland, which is named after Williams. Bowie State University’s Institute for Restorative Justice is also part of the initiative.

Some of the focus areas include assessing law enforcement policies, developing a restorative juvenile justice system, establishing behavioral health and human services as an alternative to criminal penalties or incarceration, and reviewing criminal laws and sentencing procedures.

A short-term plan will be to produce legislative recommendations in January, the same month the General Assembly convenes in Annapolis.

One bill the legislature didn’t pass this year, Senate Bill 87, is expected to be re-introduced and supported by Brown. It passed almost unanimously in the Senate but died in the House Rules Committee.

The legislation would require money in the state budget to hire a full-time ombudsman and staff to oversee the state Department of Corrections.

One of the newly formed commission’s areas of potential reform deals with making sure prisons, jails and detention centers are “safe and humane environments” for those incarcerated and staff.

Qiana Johnson, founder and executive director of Life After Release in Prince George’s and a member of the group, asked if a representative with the state’s Division of Parole and Probation would be participating in the collaborative.

“We do have to pay attention to some of the folks who are trapped inside of cages because parole and probation…and all those other agencies aren’t 100% up to par,” she said.

Although a representative from the parole office wasn’t present Wednesday, Brown said that agency will be participating.

For anyone who couldn’t attend Wednesday, the group will host a public forum Nov. 6 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore.

“The work is going to be difficult, and it’s going to be long. We’re not going to dig ourselves out in a matter of weeks and months,” Dartigue said. “As long as we are committed to the issues to eliminate mass incarceration, I do believe that we can make significant change in Maryland.”

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Maryland

Fall chill overnight for Maryland

Published

2 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Press Room

Fall chill overnight for Maryland – CBS Baltimore

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Fall chill overnight for Maryland

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Maryland

3 Takeaways from the Spartans’ Victory over Maryland

Published

9 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Press Room

3 Takeaways from the Spartans’ Victory over Maryland

The Michigan State Spartans under head coach Jonathan Smith are 2-0 thanks to a road win against a tough Maryland team, 27-24.

Resilience might be the word to describe this squad so far. The Spartans made some big blunders against the Terrapins and still found a way to battle back. The gritty performance might have been enough to get the Spartans into a bowl game.

Here are three takeaways from the Spartans’ win.

Aidan Chiles: Very Young, Very Talented

Chiles looked vastly improved from the home opener against Florida Atlantic. Again, he looked like an 18-year-old quarterback.

Chiles got not just his first passing touchdown as a Spartan, but three passing touchdowns to go with 24 of 39 passing and 363 yards. He also had three interceptions, which very nearly cost the Spartans the game.

Chiles has about as strong an arm as any quarterback to wear the green and white in recent memory. He is dangerous when he is on the move.

Perhaps a critique is that he should try to make more plays with his legs, he has seemed cautious to these first two games. The first pass rusher to get to Chiles likely won’t bring him down — Chiles has a great feel for the pocket and he is quite slippery.

Chiles overcame some poor mistakes and throwing mechanics (his feet tend to get wide and it factors into his overthrows) to lead the Spartans in the most critical of situations against a sturdy Maryland defense.

Huge game for Chiles, who showed why the hype was so promising.

Can the Spartans Stay Healthy on Defense?

Already, this Spartans squad is beaten up. Dillon Tatum, a key defensive back, lost for the season. Wide receiver Alante Brown, whose injury allowed for Nick Marsh to announce himself to the world, lost for the foreseeable future. Kristian Phillips at guard was huge.

During the Maryland game, several Spartans were beat up. Few even had to go into the tent on the sideline. It will be crucial for the Spartans to remain healthy, especially on defense. Most especially in the defensive backfield.

The Spartans are very confident in their young defensive backs — Justin Denson Jr., Andrew Brinson IV, and Jaylen Thompson can all be very good players, but they need more time to develop.

If more Spartans fall to injury, the defensive backfield could get very young.

Nick Marsh is the Real Deal

Marsh was the recruiting gem of 2024, the best player in a class with plenty of good talent. A highly-rated four-star, Marsh was the No. 107-ranked player in the class by 247Sports. Marsh, of course, stood out in fall camp like the high-profile recruit he was.

6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Marsh already had a man’s body. At just 18 years old.

“Possesses the size, athleticism, and multi-sport profile that projects very well in the long term,” 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks wrote. “Traitsy mismatch wideout with high-major impact potential and the ceiling to develop into an NFL Draft candidate.”

With the loss of Brown, Marsh was asked to step up. Step up he did — eight receptions for 194 receiving yards and a touchdown. Wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins might have his next in the line of Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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Maryland

Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News

Published

16 hours ago

September 8, 2024

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Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will provide an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

More money is on the way for a home-visiting health care program designed to provide better care for pregnant women, new parents and infants.

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

The extra money is the first time in a decade that the program has received an increase in federal funds, HRSA administrator Carol Johnson said.

“What those resources mean is that we’re able to support nurses, social workers and trained home visitors, and help with those early days of being a new parent,” Johnson said. “All of this has been shown to really make a difference in kids’ outcomes. Kids are so much stronger because they get these kinds of supports.”

Johnson said the program’s success hinges on convenient health visits in a comfortable at-home setting.

“When you’re a new parent, if you have to take off from work and take a few buses to get to an appointment, you’re probably not going to do it,” she said. “But if that person comes to your house and they’re full of resources and knowledge, it’s going to make a huge difference to you.”

Rockville, Maryland-based HRSA spearheads the national program, teaming up with local health organizations to target and reach parents.

Home health care workers can provide breastfeeding support, safe sleep tips and developmental screening for babies. They can even help parents find key services like affordable child care or job and educational opportunities.

“It’s changed my life,” past program participant Fatima Ray said.

Ray said she was introduced to the program in 2015 when she needed help with her infant daughter. She and her husband were first-time parents and stumbled through the first few months with a newborn.

“It felt good, like I had someone on my team,” Ray said. “Those questions you forget to ask the doctor sometimes, she would answer them.”

The experience impressed Ray so much that she became a home health visitor. She is the maternal health coordinator at Primo Center, a homeless shelter for families in Chicago.

“The same care that was given to me, I just want to pass it on,” Ray told WTOP. “I know how much it made a difference in my life. Home visiting matters.”

President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation in 2022 that doubles funding for the program over five years. The move was part of a campaign promise to lower risks linked to pregnancy and improve maternal health, especially among women in rural, tribal and low-income communities.

The national home visiting program will receive $440 million Maryland’s local programs will get $10 million of those funds. Virginia is slated to receive $11 million and D.C.’s home visiting programs will see a $2.5 million increase.

“This will push home visiting forward a lot more,” Ray said. “It’s just going to help tremendously.”

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