![[photo, Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building, 361 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/29ap/images/1198-1-3831.jpg)
Maryland's criminal justice system involves the Judiciary with its Court of Appeals, Court of Special Appeals, Circuit Courts, and the District Court of Maryland; law enforcement agencies, including the Department of State Police, and local public safety and police departments; and agencies concerned with detention and imprisonment, such as the
Department of Juvenile Services, and the
Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building, 361 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, Maryland, March 2009. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
![[photo, Prince George's County Courthouse, Duvall Wing, Upper Marlboro, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/36loc/pg/images/1198-1-06369b.jpg)
In addition, the General Assembly addresses concerns about criminal law through the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.
Prince George's County Courthouse, Duvall Wing, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, April 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
![[photo, Metropolitan Transition Center (formerly Maryland Penitentiary), from lower Forrest St., Baltimore, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/22dpscs/images/i004376a.jpg)
Persons convicted of a crime in Maryland may be sentenced to imprisonment in a State prison. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services operates 24 correctional facilites, as well as the Patuxent Institution (providing specialized treatment), the Central Booking and Intake Center, and the Baltimore City Detention Center.
According to the Division of Correction, in Fiscal Year 2015, Maryland's average daily inmate population was 20,602. The average length of stay was 76.9 months at an annual cost of $38,360.
Metropolitan Transition Center (formerly Maryland Penitentiary), view from lower Forrest St., Baltimore, Maryland, January 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Maryland Correctional Enterprises is a financially self-supporting State agency that provides structured employment and training for offenders in order to reduce prison idleness and improve the employability of prisoners when they are discharged. In Fiscal Year 2015, Maryland Correctional Enterprises employed 2,041 inmates and had a revenue of $54 million.
Other programs allow prisoners to learn skills while helping the community. Some inmates tend gardens inside prison walls and donate the produce to the poor, while others harvest crops for the Farm to Food Bank Program of the Maryland Food Bank. In Fiscal Year 2014, about 120 inmates helped with the deconstruction of the Maryland House of Corrections, after they received training in the abatement of hazardous materials.
Throughout Maryland, some prisoners work with animals in various programs. Inmates learn how to care for rescued and retired race horses at the Second Chances Farm at the Central Maryland Correctional Facility in Sykesville, a Public Safety Works program which began in 2008. Through the Canine Partners for Life, prisoners train dogs to become service animals for disabled individuals, while those working with America's Vetdogs train dogs as pets or service animals for disabled veterans.
The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services gives inmates the opportunity to further their education. In Fiscal Year 2015, some 6,672 prisoners enrolled in academic classes, 2,169 for occupational skills, and 4,902 in transitional programs. Also, 220 prisoners received their high school equivalency degrees, while 308 more received college credits through Goucher College.
![[photo, Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, 300 North Gay St., Baltimore, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/19djj/images/1198-1-2116.jpg)
Persons under age 18 who are charged with a crime generally fall under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system. Maryland's juvenile justice system is the responsibility of the Department of Juvenile Services. The Department provides care and treatment for youths who have broken the law, or who are adjudicated a danger to themselves or others. For young offenders, the least restrictive setting is preferred, but for serious and chronic offenders, secure institutional detention is a viable sentencing option.
Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, 300 North Gay St., Baltimore, Maryland, June 2007. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
In Maryland, victims of crimes are offered a range of services throughout the criminal justice process. Notification on the status of cases in criminal court, pretrial conferences, court accompaniment, and crisis intervention are provided in most counties by the County State's Attorney's Office, or in Baltimore City, the City State's Attorney's Office (see local law offices). Within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, victims services units provide information about the detention and release of offenders and their whereabouts. They also advise victims how to obtain financial compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.
For victims of juvenile crimes, the Department of Juvenile Services provides direct assistance. It also considers their emotional, physical and financial needs when resolving cases. Often, young offenders are required to reimburse the victim directly for losses resulting from their delinquent acts.
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