Criminal Justice System

E ach year, as many people are released from Maryland's prisons as are employed at the Johns Hopkins medical complex in East Baltimore. And each year, the Johns Hopkins Hospital helps provide meaningful futures for some of these ex-prisoners by offering them new hope in the form of jobs. Studies have shown that former prisoners' ability to find and maintain gainful employment is crucial to their successful return to their families, communities and society. Without good, steady jobs, many return to illegal activities, fueling an unacceptable recidivism rate and eroding public safety.

I applaud Sen. Ben Cardin's efforts to end racial profiling: Nothing is more divisive than to bring an "us against them" mentality into law enforcement ("Candidates make final push before Tuesday," April 2). What could be more demoralizing and dehumanizing than being judged by the color of your skin or the clothes you wear? Racial profiling, by definition, is incompatible with the guarantee of equal protection under the law contained in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Yet, many of the same people who claim to be strict constructionists with regard to the Constitution are in favor of denigrating one of its most basic tenets.

I applaud Sen. Ben Cardin's efforts to end racial profiling: Nothing is more divisive than to bring an "us against them" mentality into law enforcement ("Candidates make final push before Tuesday," April 2). What could be more demoralizing and dehumanizing than being judged by the color of your skin or the clothes you wear? Racial profiling, by definition, is incompatible with the guarantee of equal protection under the law contained in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Yet, many of the same people who claim to be strict constructionists with regard to the Constitution are in favor of denigrating one of its most basic tenets.

It is difficult to describe my feelings on reading about the horrific story years of violence and sexual abuse of Catholic school children at the hands of John Merzbacher ("Prepared to make their voices heard," April 29). That there could be any chance of Mr. Merzbacher being released back into the community is hard to imagine. I don't believe there is often much "justice" in our country's criminal justice system, but this has to be one of the most blatant examples of how the victims seem to bear the brunt of the crime and the perpetrators continue to be shown mercy and granted rights they should not have.

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Janet Reno said yesterday that in the aftermath of the O. J. Simpson verdict she will recommit herself to make the criminal justice system "as fair as I can and make it appear to be fair."While saying that "one jury verdict should not reflect on a whole system," Ms. Reno remarked on the debate raging across the nation about the fairness of the verdict and the factors underlying it.Her comments are the closest the nation's chief law enforcement officer has come to directly commenting on the Simpson trial, which captured the attention of the nation, but, she insisted repeatedly in recent weeks, not hers.

AT LEAST three lawyers intend to challenge State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy's re-election bid next year. And it won't likely stop there. In the coming months, a number of other opponents are likely to appear. This is good for Baltimore City's troubled criminal justice system. Part of the reason the prosecutor's office has developed so many problems is that incumbents have not faced serious challenges in the past two decades. Worse yet, two of the most recent state's attorneys rose to their posts without initial scrutiny by voters.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Roman Catholic bishops called yesterday for sweeping reforms in the nation's criminal justice system, rejecting the increasing use of mandatory sentences and the death penalty and advocating an approach that includes compassion for crime victims and rehabilitation for criminals. The bishops also approved statements during their annual fall meeting denouncing mistreatment and rejection of immigrants and encouraging Catholics to welcome them into their parishes, and a sharply worded critique of the Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year overturning a Nebraska law prohibiting a controversial abortion procedure.

It is far too early to celebrate a turnaround in Baltimore City's troubled criminal-justice system.Substantial progress has been made toward eliminating the most pressing emergencies. But while the Circuit Court and the Central Booking and Intake Center are no longer in crisis, the system as a whole still does not function smoothly or effectively. Far too often, a sense of urgency and shared mission are lacking.Stephen E. Harris, who heads the state public defender's office, underscored this reality in a recent complaint to Keith E. Mathews, administrative judge of the city District Court.

A team of three Sun journalists has won a National Journalism Award for public service reporting in 2002. Jim Haner, John B. O'Donnell and Kimberly A.C. Wilson won first place for "Justice Undone," a three-part investigative series published in the fall that revealed serious flaws in Baltimore's criminal justice system. Another staff member, Ann LoLordo, was a finalist for editorial writing in the contest, sponsored by the Scripps Howard Foundation. After examining 1,449 homicides that occurred between 1997 and 2001, the reporters discovered that only 32 percent ended in murder convictions.

NOT CONTENT with stop-gap measures, the Maryland General Assembly wants to revamp Baltimore's malfunctioning criminal-justice system. Legislators have frozen $17.8 million until they are satisfied that comprehensive reform is under way. To free that money, Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell must submit by Oct. 1 a blueprint to overhaul the city's problematic prosecution and court practices."

It is all too common in city courts to see witnesses reluctant to testify, even under threat of imprisonment, or developing amnesia over what had happened in front of them. But this week, it was not a bystander but the alleged victim himself who clearly wanted to be anywhere but the courtroom where prosecutors were trying to get justice for him. As The Baltimore Sun's Tricia Bishop reported, Corey Ausby basically shut down on the stand, a tearful 16-year-old wanting nothing to do with the case against two brothers he accused of beating him while they were on a neighborhood watch patrol in Park Heights.

The arrest of George Zimmerman on charges of second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin does not mean that justice has been done. But it does provide the opportunity for justice - for a full presentation of the facts before a judge and impartial jury. It was the denial of that opportunity by local officials in Sanford, Fla., who chose not to arrest Mr. Zimmerman immediately after the shooting six weeks ago, that had so inflamed the nation. It led to inevitable questions about whether race was a factor in how the case was handled - Trayvon was black, and Mr. Zimmerman is white and Hispanic - and to outrage at the notion that a young man could be killed without anyone being forced to publicly account for it. Now the Sanford community and the entire nation can get answers about what happened that day, and that is what our criminal justice system is supposed to do. Angela B. Corey, a special prosecutor brought in from Jacksonville to handle the case, said Wednesday evening that her decision to bring charges was not based on public pressure but on the evidence she had gathered.

The recent article about the expansion into Baltimore of the Department of Homeland Security's program to crackdown on illegal immigrants ("Immigrants, city fear divide over status checks," Feb. 26) makes clear the need for real immigration reform. Programs such as Secure Communities, regardless of aim, are succeeding in spreading fear and division and in threatening the stability of the family. Moreover, the program is altering the relationship between federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement.

Religious opponents of the death penalty gathered at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis to urge legislators to pass a bill repealing capital punishment in Maryland this year, but the relatively small turnout reflected their slim hopes of extracting legislation from a committe in which they have yet to gain a majority. Catholic, Protestant and Jewish clergy spoke out against executions before a few dozen supporters, making heartfelt but by now familiar arguments in a debate that is a hardy perennial in Annapolis.

As the number of killings in Baltimore dipped last year to its lowest level in decades, one trend remained constant: Those accused of killing and their victims had been in and out of the criminal justice system. More than 90 percent of the 71 people arrested on murder charges and 80 percent of the 196 people who were slain last year had criminal records, according to Baltimore police statistics released Monday. More than half the suspects had previous gun arrests, and four in 10 were on parole or probation.

Baltimore City State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein hosted a summit Tuesday about witness intimidation where police, prosecutors and witness assistance providers could discuss the best ways to protect and support victims and witnesses of crime. "Violent retaliation against victims, witnesses, and informants threatens the very fabric of our criminal justice system and our communities," said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings in a statement before the summit. Cummings was the event's keynote speaker.

THANKS TO the New York police force, Abner Louima and Amadou Diallo have become household names. Thanks to state police in New Jersey, Maryland and elsewhere, "Driving While Black" has entered the general lexicon. For the moment, the nation seems to be taking seriously the issue of racial bias in the criminal justice system. It's about time.The issue is not new. Were it not for some of its dated rhetoric, the 1968 Kerner Commission Report, which discussed the causes of the urban riots of the mid- and late 1960s, could well be a description of many of our cities today.

Today's highlights: House of Delegates meets, 11 a.m. House chamber. Senate meets, 11 a.m. Senate chamber. House Appropriations and Judiciary committees briefing on Baltimore criminal justice system, 1 p.m. Legislative services building, joint hearing room.

As I read the read this sad story ("Sentencing latest chapter in tragic tale," Catonsville Times, Nov. 9), I was angered by the murder. But most of all, I had sorrow in my heart for the family who lost a loved one. And I thought that we have the death penalty as part of Maryland's criminal justice system. Life without parole is a well deserved judgment, but I believe it is less than what justice demands. Cold blooded murder of an innocent life calls for the murderer to forfeit his life.

In the wake of Sept. 11, there were many over-reactions. As a result of some of them, our hard-won constitutional rights were eroded. There were also attempts to gain partisan political advantage by claiming to be tougher on terror than the other guy. Unfortunately, some of that kind of dangerous over-reaction and game playing is still happening. A phony problem has been manufactured, and the solution created to solve it would damage all of our rights and undermine our legal system.