ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) today announced 11 awards to counties totalling $1 million to establish or improve pretrial services programs. The goal of pretrial services programs is to provide additional options to local courts, reduce recidivism, and improve case outcomes for defendants. In Maryland, an estimated 69 percent of detention statewide is attributed to pretrial detention.

The Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund was established during the 2018 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly to assist counties in the development, implementation, and improvement of pretrial services programs. The program is consistent with the goals of the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA), which encourages the safe reduction of detention populations and reinvestment of savings into further reducing crime.

“We worked closely with counties to incorporate national and local best practices that would result in consistent outcome measurements across the state,” said GOCCP Executive Director V. Glenn Fueston, Jr. “We received nearly $1.3 million in requests for new and existing programs, and we were able to fund a majority of the requests.”

The grants will help local jurisdictions respond to rises in pretrial detention by arming judges and court commissioners with evidence-based risk assessments, new monitoring technology, and case management staff to handle referrals for substance use and mental health services. The 11 grants announced will establish new pretrial programs in four counties, bringing pretrial services to a total of 15 counties. Seven counties that already provide pretrial services will receive funding to bring their programs in line with a statewide standard that incorporates best practices.

Awards were made to the following entities:

  • Anne Arundel County Dept. of Detention Facilities – $94,255.00
  • Calvert County Board of County Commissioners – $109,477.00
  • Cecil County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Facility – $94,051.00
  • Dorchester Community Partnership – $29,250.00
  • Howard County Department of Corrections – $165,546.00
  • Montgomery County Department of Correction & Rehabilitation – $130,000.00
  • Prince George’s County Department of Corrections – $48,712.00
  • Somerset County Detention Center – $95,825.00
  • St. Mary’s County Detention Center – $57,252.00
  • Washington County Detention Center – $125,386.00
  • Wicomico County Department of Corrections – $50,245.00

More information about the program may be found here and here.