Central Maryland Regional Veterans Treatment Court (VTC)
On November 12, 2024, the District Court in Baltimore City launched the Central Maryland Regional Veterans Treatment Court, which will expand the program to serve Baltimore City and Baltimore County, plus Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties. The new regional veterans treatment court will provide a court-supervised, comprehensive, and voluntary treatment-based program for justice-involved veterans charged with misdemeanors in the District Court of Maryland.
The Central Maryland Regional Veterans Treatment Court is the third multi-county veterans treatment court in Maryland and the fourth multi-county problem-solving court in the state. It will provide intensive treatment, accountability, and mentoring to former military service members who have committed crimes and may suffer from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, other mental health issues, and substance use disorders. Through the program, veterans can resolve outstanding criminal offenses, obtain the treatment and services they need, and stabilize their lives. A goal of the Central Maryland Regional Veterans Treatment Court is to reduce recidivism and help connect eligible participants to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, local resources, long-term supportive housing, and other benefits for participants whose service-related disabilities may prevent or impede their return to the workforce.
Eligible veterans who have court cases will be referred to the program by the District Court in each county. The criteria for eligible participants include being a U.S. military veteran regardless of eligibility for VA benefits and being a defendant charged with misdemeanor offenses or concurrent jurisdiction felonies in the District Court.
With the expansion of the VTC program, dockets specifically for veterans are now offered in 13 locations statewide, including the veterans treatment courts at the District Court in Anne Arundel County, the District Court in Baltimore City (and now Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties), the Dorchester County District Regional Veterans Court (which is located in Dorchester County and serves that county, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties), the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, and the Frederick and Washington County Regional Veterans Treatment Court.
Body Worn Camera Unit
In the summer of 2022, Howard County launched a Body Worn Camera (BWC) program for uniformed officers. Every uniformed officer who regularly interacts with members of the public, as part of their official duties, is required to wear and operate a body worn camera.
The role of the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Body Worn Camera Unit is to review footage recorded by officers for use in prosecuting cases. In total, the BWC Unit is made up of 11 people, including 2 attorneys and 9 paralegals who review all the body worn camera footage in criminal and traffic cases.
Many people think of the technology first when they think of a BWC program, but the key to a successful program is pairing technology with properly trained people to accomplish the goals of the policy.
Restorative Justice
The Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office is pleased to announce the implementation of our Restorative Justice Program (RJP) which provides an entirely different way of thinking about crime and our response to crime. This approach operates from a belief that crime is a violation of people and relationships, and the path to justice lies in problem solving and healing rather than punishment mandated by the state. The myth that RJ replaces harsher consequences is simply not true. Our office has created a process whereby, if a case is eligible for the Restorative Justice Program, all parties, with a stake in the crime will come together to collectively resolve the offense in a more meaningful and holistic way. Our attorneys will serve as facilitators focusing on offender accountability for the harm they caused while also seeking redress for victims through reconciliation. The restorative process of involving all parties is a powerful way of addressing not only the material and physical injuries caused by the crime, but also the social, psychological, and relational injuries as well.
Foundational Principles include the following:
*Crime causes harm and justice should focus on repairing that harm
*The people most affected by the crime should be able to participate in its resolution
*Victim’s involvement and defendant’s ability to change and accept responsibility for his/her actions is essential
* Our office’s responsibility is to oversee the process and ensure each party agrees with the outcome of this non-judicial-system-based solution
*When a party is not able, or does not want, to participate in such a meeting, other approaches can be taken to achieve the restorative outcome of repairing the harm caused by the offender.
Here’s a partial list of eligible offenses to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis:
Loitering, trespassing, 2nd degree assault, vandalism, rogue and vagabond charges, etc.
Cases that are not eligible (serious offenses):
Murder, domestic violence, rape, human trafficking, drugs, etc.
For more information on examples of Restorative Justice Programs, please explore these links.
https://law.wisc.edu/fjr/rjp/justice.html
https://restorativejustice.org/what-is-restorative-justice/
https://oag.dc.gov/public-safety/restorative-justice-program