OUR MISSION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Advocacy organizations and Maryland constituents call for immediate measures to protect medically vulnerable incarcerated residents within the state's correctional facilities during the COVID-19 emergency

1.  Governor Larry Hogan should immediately take action regarding incarcerated individuals who are medically vulnerable as public health experts nationwide have advised. In a letter to Governor Hogan today, a Coalition of organizations and Maryland constituents strongly urged the Governor and the Maryland Parole Commission to take action to expedite the release of individuals identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and national healthcare experts as chronically ill and medically vulnerable by utilizing and expanding procedures that are currently exist. As well, this letter urges necessary steps be taken to ensure that judicial hearings that could result in releases are considered “emergency hearings”. These actions would mitigate the spread of Coronavirus within Maryland correctional facilities and prevent an inevitable public health crisis.
In the letter, the Coalition asks Governor Hogan for an Executive Order that includes the following urgent and necessary steps: 

2.  Expedites the parole procedures including reviews, notification of victims, hearings and release proceedings for individuals over 60 and those at-risk and vulnerable individuals who suffer from chronic illnesses (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, auto-immune disease, and immunodeficiency), making them most susceptible to the COVID-19’s debilitating consequences. Give immediate priority to those who fit the medically vulnerable criteria who are set to be released on parole or mandatory release within the next five years, who do not pose a threat to public safety, and who have secured a stable and confirmed home plan. Immediately execute remote reviews and hearings as the capability to perform remote parole reviews/hearings is already in place within the Maryland Parole Commission.

3.  Orders Courts to designate hearings that could result in someone’s release from prison/jail, including modification of sentences, as “emergency” proceedings that require a hearing and that asks the Court for leniency in cases of medical vulnerability.

4.  Expedites applications for and establishes emergency commutations for individuals over 60 and those at-risk and vulnerable individuals who suffer from chronic illnesses (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, auto-immune disease, and immunodeficiency) making them most susceptible to the virus and debilitating results AND whose mandatory release is within the next five years, who do not pose a threat to public safety and who have secured a stable and confirmed home plan.

5.  Orders Courts to designate any hearing that could result in someone’s release from prison/jail, particularly modification of sentences or successive bail reviews, are “emergency” proceedings that require a hearing.

6.  Liberally utilizes and expedites processing of geriatric and medical parole, and urges aggressive use of its recently-expanded authority to grant administrative parole per Md. Code Ann., Corr. Servs. §7-301.1.