A recent report by the Vera Institute of Justice shows Maryland leading the nation in prison population decline. Its 9.6% decline between 2016 and 2017 was tops in the country (the national trend was a 1% decline), and comes as the state is implementing broad-based “Justice Reinvestment” efforts. The report also does show that Maryland’s rate of 299 incarcerated people per 100,000 remains higher than the national average.

The website for the Maryland Justice Reinvestment Board includes information about the Board, its meetings, and activities.

The Baltimore Sun profiled the report, noting:

The reduction appears to have been triggered in part by the 2016 Justice Reinvestment Act, a sweeping measure that sought to divert nonviolent offenders from prison to drug treatment and other programs.

…

Last year’s reduction was not a one-year fluke. Over the past decade, Maryland’s prison has dropped by almost 23 percent — fifth in the nation.

Read the full Sun article online.

See previous Conduit Street coverage:

Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board Gears Up For Act’s Implementation

Local Government Commission Convenes to Discuss Justice Reinvestment