Public safety is an important state and local government function, provided primarily through a system of criminal laws and their enforcement that aims to protect citizens from the harmful actions of others.  However, this purpose of crime prevention is not simply to punish offenders with long and counter-productive prison sentences.  Sadly, the state of Maryland has maintained an extremely high percentage of incarcerated prisoners in its population, which is both costly and counter-productive to meaningful public safety.  And, once incarcerated, inmates are given little opportunity for correction and rehabilitation that would ensure their safe return to normal life in society.

While a small number of serious offenders must be securely isolated from society, many minor offenders will not benefit from long, punitive sentences. We should therefore find ways to reduce the large population of these non-violent offenders in prison, such as by de-criminalizing marijuana use, and establishing voluntary treatment programs for drug addiction.   In addition, many non-violent criminals could be safely removed from harm to society through home-based confinement using monitoring devices or in supervised assisted living facilities.

Effective public safety must also look to prison reform that aims to correct and rehabilitate inmates, rather than merely punishing them by serving time.    Needed, therefore, is more focus on education, mental health therapy, practical work projects, and addiction recover programs while inmates are in custody.  Happily, there are active volunteer prison ministries in society that are making a positive contribution to this effort, which should be encouraged as much as possible.

Reducing the prison population and the presence of repeat offenders in society can also be achieved by closer cooperation with federal immigration authorities (ICE).  This cooperation involves, for example, the identification and removal of illegal aliens in local custody to ICE for their processing and enforcement of pertinent federal immigration laws.  Maryland should not be a haven to protect and promote the presence of these illegal aliens to foment unnecessary crime and gang violence in society.

Public safety must also include prison reform through the close monitoring and training of correction officials, to assure that inmates receive humane and ethical supervision.   Happily, there are some very effective experiments and initiatives taking place in other states that we should study for use in Maryland as well.