As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is undertaking a departmental reorganization and MACo reported that the reorganization would have imposed new responsibilities or costs on local jails or law enforcement with respect to intake and release.  DPSCS has subsequently stated that the reorganization is expected to have NO impact on local public safety with respect to new responsibilities or costs.  DPSCS also offered the following explanations for several issues, unrelated to the reorganization, that might have given local governments some concern:

Case Management System

DPSCS has invested $15 million for a new offender case management system that will integrate all of DPSCS internal data.  This new case management system will improve communications with local jails because it is either compatible with, or adoptable by, many current systems utilized by local corrections today. The possibility of better communications between the state and local systems could ultimately improve and make more effective the offender reentry process throughout Maryland.

Intake and Reentry Process

Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services Gary Maynard has discussed the possibility of making long-term improvements to the intake and reentry process with several local systems in the long-term.  While there may be proposed intake or reentry changes in the future that may affect local governments, the DPSCS reorganization does not make any actual changes to offender intake into the State system or reentry of offenders at the local level.  Any intake and reentry proposals will be introduced and be handled separately from the reorganization. 

MACo and DPSCS have a strong, longstanding relationship and MACo will continue to work with DPSCS on any reorganization, intake, and reentry issues that may affect local public safety.