The Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative (MEJC) will introduce draft recommendations this August, with a final report due ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
A collaborative formed in the Fall of 2023 is set to release draft recommendations for reducing the mass incarceration of African Americans and other marginalized groups in Maryland prisons and jails. The goal of the group, which is co-chaired by Attorney General Anthony Brown and Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue, is to examine the scope and causes of this crisis, and to develop a comprehensive plan for reform and recommendations by January 2025. County membership includes representatives from the State’s Attorneys Association as well as the Chiefs of Police and the Sheriff’s Associations.
Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue gave the group guidance on the forthcoming recommendations.
“You don’t need to put out seven [proposals] if you have like a hearty, well-developed three or four. That is great. It’s really about quality, not quantity.”
The work of the collaborative is divided into six primary workgroups:
- Criminal Law and Sentencing Reform
- Health and Human Services
- Promoting Successful Re-Entry and Preventing Reincarceration
- Education, Workforce Development and Economic Opportunity
- Juvenile Justice Reform
- Law Enforcement Policies and Practices
- Prison, Jail and Detention Facility Reform
According to a Maryland Matters article, following a recent meeting, the law enforcement work group overachieved, with at about seven recommendations that include decreasing law enforcement interactions with those suffering a mental health crisis, raising awareness of and participation in local police accountability boards, and making police misconduct data accessible to the public.
