The People’s Commission to Decriminalize Maryland, a coalition of organizations that OSI convened to identify areas of the criminal code in which behaviors that pose no threat to public safety are criminalized in a way that targets people based on their race, gender, disability or socio-economic status, has published an outline of policy recommendations in advance of the 2021 General Assembly.
Last week, Commission representatives published an op-ed in Maryland Matters, suggesting that efforts to contain police abuses should go beyond policing: “A critical issue of police reform is rarely addressed–reducing the number police encounters with the public in the first place.”
The outline identifies problems, solutions, and policy recommendations related to five areas: drug policy, homelessness, poverty, sex work, and youth. The outline will be followed by a full report expected in January or February. Read the full report here.