skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: MD Has U.S.'s Largest Rate of Black Prison Population

play audio
Play

Thursday, November 11, 2021   

BALTIMORE -- Maryland has the highest incarceration rate for African Americans in the nation, according to a recent report.

Ashley Nellis, senior research analyst for The Sentencing Project and author of the study, pointed out Maryland has a Black population of almost 30%, yet African Americans make up 71% of its prison population.

She attributes the disparity to criminal-justice polices such as excessive sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, and noted the state also suffers from what she calls a robust school-to-prison pipeline.

"A lot of students in schools in Maryland come into the criminal-justice system through that pipeline of breaking school rules and then becoming involved in the criminal legal system shortly thereafter," Nellis explained.

Nellis added just last year, Maryland began a pilot program using racial impact statements when considering criminal-justice legislation. It forces lawmakers to consider potential laws in terms of the effect it will have on communities of color, which she thinks will help ease some of the current disparities.

Nellis noted other recommendations to reduce racial gaps in prison include ending mandatory minimum sentencing, which she argued is ineffective at reducing crime. She also suggested decriminalizing low-level drug offenses she contended are more reflective of police activity than criminal acts.

"We know that Blacks are overpoliced," Nellis asserted. "This sort of levels the playing field for people coming into the criminal legal system later on down the road and face tougher sentences because of those early encounters with police."

The report also called for ending mandatory minimum sentencing. Nationally, the study found African Americans are incarcerated at almost five times the rate of white Americans. In Maryland, the rate is five to three.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021