Yesterday, the People’s Commission to Decriminalize Maryland held its first statewide public meeting, bringing together advocates and community members from around the state to discuss strategies to achieve the Commission’s mission, “to reduce the disparate impact of the justice system on youth and adults who have been historically targeted and marginalized by local and state criminal and juvenile laws on the basis of their race, gender, disability or socio-economic status.”
As OSI’s Tara Huffman explained, unlike related commission and task forces based in Annapolis, this one is fully informed and led by the community.
Representatives from the Commission’s working groups, Drug Policy, Homelessness, Poverty, Sex Work, and Youth, each gave a presentation reflecting their research into the criminal codes that need to changed to achieve the Commission’s mission.
Next up, the Commission will hold a series of regional forums around the state. Details to be announced soon.
