Reducing violent crime in one of the most dangerous states in the nation is “one of our highest priorities this year,” Gov. Martin O?Malley said in his annual State of the State address Wednesday to the General Assembly. He called it “the most fundamental priority and responsibility of any government.”

“We have allowed our One Maryland to be degraded by violence for far too long,” O?Malley said. He listed seven initiatives his administration has taken on guns, violent predators, gang intelligence and DNA testing, and then asked the lawmakers to support his requests for hiring 50 more parole officers, building new juvenile facilities, expanding use of GPS tracking of young offenders and increasing community drug-treatment programs.

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