Md. officials hold first criminal justice reform meeting

In Annapolis, a panel got together Monday to examine criminal justice reform.

The Maryland Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council was formed this year and signed into law by Governor Hogan. According to Cara Sullivan, the Policy and Planning Chief from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control And Prevention (GOCCP),  the state spends an average of 38,000 dollars each year per inmate.

This council will reportedly take a look at sentencing and correction policies to control correction spending. To reduce Maryland’s incarcerated population, we’re told they’ll be exploring who they’re locking up in the first place.

“What our system needs to do a better job of is differentiating between the two types of criminal offenders, those that we’re mad at and those that we’re afraid of.” Says Sullivan.

Because the council is taking research from and data and records, the state is expected to get technical assistance from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice.