Headlined on CBS: Maryland Equitable Justice Commission shares 18 recommendations to reduce incarceration rates | CEJE l The Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. Center for Education, Justice & Ethics

The Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative (MEJC) recently announced 18 recommendations to reduce incarceration rates and build a more equitable criminal justice system. Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative (MEJC) is a joint initiative led by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) in partnership with the Judge Alexander Williams Center for Education, Justice & Ethics at the University of Maryland, College Park, and the Bowie State University Institute for Restorative Justice (USM). This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to addressing systemic inequities and promoting restorative justice across Maryland.

The commission’s recommendations, including reducing pretrial detention, expanding alternative sentencing programs, and enhancing reentry services, align closely with the Center’s ongoing initiatives. Through programs like the Social Justice Bootcamp and professional development events at PS 103, the Judge AW Center works to divert at-risk youth from the justice system, foster leadership, and empower individuals to become advocates for systemic change.

The MEJC Commission recommendations include:

Conducting a statewide assessment to find gaps in crisis response systems and developing ways to improve use and expansion of alternative models
Passing legislation to end non-safety-related traffic stops, enhancing data reporting requirements, and re-examining the use of consent searches to reduce unnecessary interactions with police
Measuring the impact and success of cognitive behavioral theory training programs and mandating that all police officers in Maryland receive the training
Analyzing each step in the criminal legal process to understand the impact of racial and geographic disparities in Maryland's prison population
Addressing the rising criminalization of in-school behavior by tracking school-based arrests and revising criminal justice policies
Amending school attendance requirements to allow justice-involved youth to complete high school through the GED process

The Judge AW Center encourages policymakers, community leaders, and advocates to join in advancing these transformative recommendations to create a more equitable Maryland.

The MEJC Commission recommendations include:

Conducting a statewide assessment to find gaps in crisis response systems and developing ways to improve use and expansion of alternative models

Passing legislation to end non-safety-related traffic stops, enhancing data reporting requirements, and re-examining the use of consent searches to reduce unnecessary interactions with police

Measuring the impact and success of cognitive behavioral theory training programs and mandating that all police officers in Maryland receive the training

Analyzing each step in the criminal legal process to understand the impact of racial and geographic disparities in Maryland's prison population

Addressing the rising criminalization of in-school behavior by tracking school-based arrests and revising criminal justice policies

Amending school attendance requirements to allow justice-involved youth to complete high school through the GED process

The Judge AW Center encourages policymakers, community leaders, and advocates to join in advancing these transformative recommendations to create a more equitable Maryland.

Please read the full article below to see all recommendations provided by the Maryland Equitable Justice Commission.