skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

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

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Medicaid has covered more than $28.6 million in claims for dental services since expansion began, according to state data. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

 

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