ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, Hampton Plaza, 300 East Joppa Road, Towson, Maryland]

In 1995, the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention was created by the Governor to address concerns about public safety and the prevention of crime and substance abuse (Executive Order 01.01.1995.03; Executive Order 01.01.1995.18; Executive Order 01.01.1996.05; Executive Order 01.01.2005.36). The Office formed by merging functions of the Office of Justice Administration and the Governor's Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission. From January 1997 to 2003, the Office functioned under the Lieutenant Governor.

The Office works to improve public safety and the administration of justice and to reduce and prevent crime, violence, delinquency, and substance abuse. To these ends, it helps draft legislation, policies, plans, programs, and budgets.

Hampton Plaza, 300 East Joppa Road, Towson, Maryland, May 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

For nonprofit community groups and local and State government agencies, the Office provides access to State and federal grant programs that improve public safety. They include the Maryland After-School Community Grant Program; Body Armor for Local Law Enforcement, the Bullet-Proof Vest Program; the Governor's Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program (also known as Neighborhood Crime and Substance Abuse Prevention Grants); the Maryland Drug and Alcohol Grants Program Fund; the Maryland Victims of Crime Fund; the Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program; the Edward J. Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program; the Children's Justice Act Committee; the Crime Mapping and Analysis Project; the Collaborative Supervision and Focused Enforcement Violence Prevention Initiative (CSAFE-VPI); the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act; the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program (DVUP); Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws; the Gun Violence Reduction Grant Program; the Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Program; the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Program; the Law Enforcement Technology Program; the Law Enforcement Training Scholarship Program; the Project Safe Neighborhood Anti-Gang Initiative; Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners; the School Bus Safety Enforcement Fund; Sex Offender and Compliance Enforcement in Maryland (SOCEM); the State Challenge Grant Program; the Stop Violence Against Women Program; the Title V Delinquency Prevention Program; the Violent Offenders Incarceration and Truth-In-Sentencing Program; the Youth Strategies Initiative; and the Governor's portion of the federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program.

The Office administers grants for the Maryland Police Corps, a federal college scholarship program enacted in 1996. Maryland was one of the first states chosen by the U.S. Department of Justice to recruit and train college graduates to serve four years as community police officers. Maryland Police Corps officers presently serve in the police departments of Baltimore City, Hagerstown, and Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties.

Under the Office is the Criminal Justice Program (formerly the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Program) which stems from the Law Enforcement Program of the Governor's Drug and Alcohol Commission. That program became part of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention in 1995. It was renamed the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Program in 1997, and adopted its current name in 2001.

The Criminal Justice Program administers funding and provides technical support to programs for law enforcement and the prosecution and adjudication of offenders. To improve the criminal justice system, the Program assists projects, such as community policing and alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. Support may include the use of electronic and other technology. In addition, the Program seeks effective means of coping with drug addiction and mental illness in the criminal justice system.

Appointed by the Governor, the Executive Director serves on the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, the Cease Fire Council, the Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board, the Maryland State Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council, the Drug Treatment Court Oversight Committee, the Governor's Family Violence Council, the Maryland Integrated Map (MDiMap) Executive Committee; the Juvenile Grant Planning and Review Council, the Mental Health Oversight Committee, the Sexual Offender Advisory Board, and the State Board of Victim Services.

The Office staffs the Cease Fire Council and the Governor's Family Violence Council and is assisted by the Maryland Statistical Analysis Center.

CEASE FIRE COUNCIL

The Council administers the Cease Fire Council Grant Program to reduce firearms violence through support for innovative and collaborative initiatives.

Eleven members serve on the Council. Seven are appointed to three-year terms by the Governor. Four serve ex officio. The Secretary of State Police chairs the Council (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 5-501 through 5-504).

GOVERNOR'S FAMILY VIOLENCE COUNCIL

Through the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Council advises the Governor on issues related to family violence, and proposes policy, legislative and regulatory changes to reduce family violence, protect victims, and punish perpetrators. The Council also considers what State policies and programs are effective in preventing family violence; and the relationship between family violence and juvenile delinquency, alcohol and substance abuse, and other problems.

The Council consists of no more than twenty-eight members. Up to twelve members are appointed to three-year terms by the Governor; four members represent the Legislature, one represents the Judiciary; one represents the Maryland State's Attorneys' Association; and ten serve ex officio. The Governor designates the chair and any vice-chairs of the Council (Executive Order 01.01.2012.05)

POLICY, RESEARCH, & TRAINING
Policy, Research, and Training oversees the Training Unit, and the Maryland Statistical Analysis Center.

MARYLAND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS CENTER

The Center serves as a statewide information center and repository for criminal and juvenile justice statistics and information. To State and local agencies, it provides access to federal resources for criminal and juvenile justice statistical information. The Center also coordinates research and technical assistance. Through its Research Program, the Center funds original research projects that seek out, analyze, and evaluate current policies and practices in Maryland to improve public safety. In addition, the Center assists the Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board.

OPERATIONS

In August 2007, Operations organized to improve public safety in Maryland. Operations helps local governments and agencies access federal and State grants to fund crime fighting strategies through two regional offices: Eastern, and Western. In July 2011, oversight and funding for sexual assault crisis programs and domestic violence programs transferred to the Office of Crime Control and Prevention from the Department of Human Resources (Chapter 356, Acts of 2011).

Under Operations, the Office implemented a regional organization of programs in August 2007. Federal and State grant programs now are accessed through two regional offices: Eastern, and Western. Operations also oversees the Maryland Domestic-Violence Health-Care Screening and Response Initiative, and Grants Operations.

MARYLAND DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE HEALTH-CARE SCREENING & RESPONSE INITIATIVE
The Maryland Domestic-Violence Health-Care Screening and Response Initiative began in September 2010 (Executive Order 01.01.2010.20).

Administered by the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Initiative encourages and promotes the establishment of local domestic-violence health-care screening and response programs. To such local programs, the Office provides technical assistance and prioritizes them to receive State and federal grants.

JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY UNIT

The Juvenile Justice Policy Unit formed from the merger of the Equal Justice and Policy Division and the Youth Services Division on January 31, 2007. The Equal Justice and Policy Division had formed in 2005. The Youth Services Division originated as the Youth, Justice, and Community Service Division, and became the Youth Services Division in 2003. Many functions of the two divisions dispersed to regional offices in restructuring of August 2007.

Those juvenile justice functions not dispersed to regional offices in August 2007 were assigned to the Juvenile Justice Policy Unit. The Unit also staffs the Juvenile Grant Planning and Review Council, and the Children's Justice Act Committee.

JUVENILE GRANT PLANNING & REVIEW COUNCIL

In keeping with the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002, the Council serves as Maryland's State Advisory Group as required by the Act.

The Council develops and annually updates a State three-year plan; reviews and makes recommendations on all juvenile and delinquency prevention grant applications; and advises the Office of Crime Control and Prevention on developing and expediting programs to divert juveniles from the juvenile justice system into community-based alternatives. Further, the Council works with the Juvenile Justice Compliance Monitor to ensure compliance with the federal Act.

The Council consists of between 15 and 33 members appointed by the Governor to three-year terms. One-fifth of the members must be under age 24 when appointed, and three members must be or have been in the juvenile justice system.

EASTERN REGIONAL OFFICE

The Eastern Regional Office organized in August 2007. It now comprises Baltimore City and Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary's, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties. Program monitors of this office help these counties secure public safety grants, including those concerned with Children's Justice Act Funds, and criminal justice, juvenile justice, school bus safety enforcement, and underage drinking laws enforcement.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT PROGRAM
The Violence Against Women Act Program was authorized under the federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). By this act, states administer funds to combat crimes of violence against women and improve legal protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Under the Program, law enforcement officers, court commissioners, "911" operators, judges, and state's attorneys are trained to respond effectively to violent crimes against women. Coordinated community responses to domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault are supported. In addition, the Program provides a uniform data collection system to track offenses and standardizes the processing of legal cases involving domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault.

Since 2000, the Program has administered the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program Fund. This fund is used by local law enforcement agencies to ensure the timely and accurate entry of civil protective and ex parte orders into databases.

Formerly under the Metro Regional Office, the Program transferred to the Western Regional Office in February 2011, and then to the Eastern Regional Office in November 2011.

PLANNING & STRATEGY COMMITTEE

WESTERN REGIONAL OFFICE

Organized in August 2007, the Western Regional Office now covers Allegany, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and Washington counties. For these counties, the Office helps local governments and organizations secure federal and State grant funds for public safety initiatives.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT PILOT PROGRAM
In May 2000, the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program Fund was established (Chapter 572, Acts of 2000). The Fund provides grants to local sheriffs' offices and police departments to create domestic violence units. Such units focus on the service of ex parte and protective orders, and keeping databases updated.

Formerly under the Metro Regional Office, the Program transferred to the Eastern Regional Office in February 2011, and the Western Regional Office in December 2011.

VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAM
The Victim Services Program began in 1988, later became the Victim Services and Domestic Violence Program, and adopted its present name in 1999. The Program administers funding and provides technical support for efforts to assist victims of crime and those who suffer domestic and family violence. In December 2011, the Program moved under the Western Regional Office.

Heading the Program, the Victim Services Coordinator is chosen by the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention.

STATE BOARD OF VICTIM SERVICES

The Board advises the Governor on services needed by victims of crime. The Board also reviews the plans and annual reports of the Victim Services Coordinator as well as the implementation, operation, and revision of programs by the Coordinator.

Twenty-two members compose the Board. Fourteen are appointed to five-year terms by the Governor. The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals names a member of the Judiciary to a five-year term. Seven members serve ex officio. The Governor or Governor's designee serves as chair (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 11-910 through 11-919).

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance