The Maryland Prisoners' Rights Coalition in collaboration with statewide advocacy leaders has launched several projects to support decarcerating our state prisons, bringing awareness to the negative and counterproductive impact of long sentences, the need to reduce incarceration and take second looks at individual cases, and the importance of expanding parole opportunities. We, as a State and a Nation, have an overreliance on and overuse of incarceration which in turn ultimately costs and hurts our communities and has little positive impact on recidivism. Due to the failures of the correctional system and conditions of confinement that are far below subpar, we are striving not only to improve conditions of confinement but strongly advocating to reduce our prison populations.
Removes the Governor from the parole process and restores the authority of the professional Parole Commission.
"Altering, from 15 years to 20 years or the equivalent of 20 years considering certain allowances, the time period that inmates sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime committed on or after October 1, 2021, must serve before becoming eligible for parole consideration; repealing certain provisions that provide that inmates serving a term of life imprisonment may be paroled only with the Governor's approval, subject to certain provisions; repealing certain provisions that require certain parole decisions be sent to the Governor; etc."
General Assembly Webpage:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0003?ys=2021RS
Bill Full Text:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/hb/hb0003F.pdf
Abolishes life without the possibility of parole in children, focusing on age-appropriate accountability.
"Authorizing a court, when sentencing a minor convicted as an adult, to impose a sentence less than the minimum term required by law; prohibiting a court from imposing a sentence of life without the possibility of parole or release for a minor; authorizing an individual convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a minor to file a motion to reduce the duration of the individual's sentence; requiring the court to conduct a hearing on a motion to reduce the duration of a sentence; etc."
General Assembly Webpage:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0409
Bill Full Text:
Eliminates felony murder for juveniles without removing accountability for crimes committed.
"Altering provisions of law relating to murder in the first degree; providing that a person who was a child at the time of the offense may not be found to have committed murder in the first degree under certain provisions of law; authorizing a person convicted, on or before September 30, 2021, of first degree murder who was a child at the time of the offense to file a motion for review of conviction; requiring a court to hold a certain hearing on the filing of a motion for review of conviction under certain circumstances; etc."
General Assembly Webpage:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0385
Bill Full Text:
Copyright © 2021 Maryland Prisoners' Rights Coalition - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder
If you have an incarcerated loved one, please fill out our survey regarding current conditions of confinement as they relate to the COVID19 pandemic for incarcerated individuals!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.