Criminal and Juvenile Justice Program Open Society Institute-Baltimore (2018)

This report explores three Maryland jurisdictions—St. Mary’s County, Montgomery County, and Baltimore City—that are leading the way in improving pretrial justice in the state. The information included here comes from the heads of each jurisdiction’s pretrial service agency, with input solicited from local public defenders working with those systems. Along the way, the authors highlight strategies that other counties can use to make their local pretrial systems more effective. While each of these jurisdictions can be used as a model for others to follow, it is important to note that no single county yet has perfect pretrial practices, and there is always more room for improvement to bring about a fairer, safer, and more effective pretrial justice system