Get shot then get locked up? That?s what?s happening to offenders under the supervision of Maryland?s Division of Parole and Probation, according to a new policy enacted in Baltimore City since July.
“We?re focusing on young, repeat violent offenders ? both those who shoot and those who get shot,” said Parole and Probation Director Judith Sachwald, one of the authors of a policy that calls for the arrest of not just shooting suspects, but also shooting victims.
Every day, the Baltimore Police Department provides state parole officials with a report of everyone on parole and probation involved in recent shootings, Sachwald said.
If the victim was committing a crime when he was shot ? such as carrying drugs, possessing a handgun, committing a robbery ? parole officials seek a warrant from a judge for his arrest. The same is done for the shooting suspects, according to Sachwald.
Sachwald said her office won?t seek arrest warrants from judges unless police believe they can prove the shooting victim was involved in a crime at the time of the shooting.
“A parole retake warrant is important because it does not allow a suspect to be bailed out of jail pending resolution of the charges,” she said. “Suspects are eligible for bail when facing traditional arrest warrants.”
Elizabeth Bartholomew, a spokeswoman for parole and probation, said that in addition to helping locate criminals, the program could also help prevent future crimes, because shootings often result in retaliatory shootings.
“There?s often a retaliation factor, but the most important thing is it?s our job to stop those engaged in criminal activity,” she said.
The policy stems from Gov. Martin O?Malley?s StateStat program, as officials try to get a handle on the 8,600 offenders who return to Baltimore from state prisons each year.
A recent study showed about 50 percent of the Maryland prisoners released in 2001 returned to prison within three years.
In addition, 36 percent of homicide suspects in 2007 were on parole or probation at the time they committed their crimes, city police say.
Join the discussion and take our poll in today’s examiNation Baltimore: What do you think of the policy of arresting shooting victims?
