GOVERNOR

GOVERNOR'S COORDINATING OFFICES

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF CRIME CONTROL & PREVENTION

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS


[photo, 100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland] In 1995, the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention was created by the Governor to address concerns about public safety and the prevention of crime and substance abuse (Executive Order 01.01.1995.03; Executive Order 01.01.1995.18; Executive Order 01.01.1996.05; Executive Order 01.01.2005.36). The Office formed by merging functions of the Office of Justice Administration and the Governor's Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission. From January 1997 to 2003, the Office functioned under the Lieutenant Governor.


100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland, July 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.


The Office works to improve public safety and the administration of justice and to reduce and prevent crime, violence, delinquency, and substance abuse. To these ends, it helps draft legislation, policies, plans, programs, and budgets.

All federal funding that comes to Maryland for criminal justice, juvenile justice, and victims' services is administered by the Office.

For nonprofit community groups and local and State government agencies, the Office provides access to State and federal grant programs that improve public safety. They include the Body Armor for Local Law Enforcement, the Maryland Victims of Crime Fund; the Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program; the Children's Justice Act Committee; the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act; the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program (DVUP); the Gun Violence Reduction Grant Program; the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Program; the Law Enforcement Training Scholarship Program; the Project Safe Neighborhood Anti-Gang Initiative; Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners; the School Safety Enforcement Fund; Sex Offender and Compliance Enforcement in Maryland (SOCEM); the Stop Violence Against Women Program; the Title V Delinquency Prevention Program; and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Grant Program.

The Office administers grants for the Maryland Police Corps, a federal college scholarship program enacted in 1996. Maryland was one of the first states chosen by the U.S. Department of Justice to recruit and train college graduates to serve four years as community police officers. Maryland Police Corps officers presently serve in the police departments of Baltimore City, Hagerstown, and Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties.

Criminal Justice Program. Under the Office, the Criminal Justice Program (formerly the Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Program) stems from the Law Enforcement Program of the Governor's Drug and Alcohol Commission. That program became part of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention in 1995. Renamed the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Program in 1997, it adopted its current name in 2001.

The Criminal Justice Program administers funding and provides technical support to programs for law enforcement and the prosecution and adjudication of offenders. To improve the criminal justice system, the Program assists projects, such as community policing and alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. Support may include the use of electronic and other technology. In addition, the Program seeks effective means of coping with drug addiction and mental illness in the criminal justice system.

First located at Hampton Plaza, 300 East Joppa Road in Towson, Maryland, the Office moved to 100 Community Place in Crownsville, Maryland, in June 2016.

Appointed by the Governor, the Executive Director serves on the Behavioral Health Advisory Council; Cease Fire Council; the Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board; the Interagency Disabilities Board; the Task Force to Study Erroneous Conviction and Imprisonment; the Governor's Family Violence Council; the Task Force to Study Maryland's Criminal Gang Statutes; the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board; the Council on Open Data; the Council for the Procurement of Health, Educational and Social Services; the Sexual Offender Advisory Board; the State Board of Victim Services; and the Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Advisory Council.

Formerly, the Office was organized under three units: Legislation; Policy and Planning; and Special Projects. In October 2016, the Office reformed under three divisions: Administration; Programs and Implementation; and Research, Analysis and Evaluation. The Office also is assisted by the Cease Fire Council, the Governor's Family Violence Council, and the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board.


VICTIM SERVICES UNIT
The Victim Services Unit was established within the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention in July 2018 (Chapter 422, Acts of 2018).

PROGRAMS & IMPLEMENTATION

In August 2007, Programs and Implementation began as Operations which organized to improve public safety in Maryland. Under Operations, a regional organization of programs was implemented in August 2007. Federal and State grant programs were accessed through two regional offices: Eastern, and Western. Oversight and funding for sexual assault crisis programs and domestic violence programs also were placed under Operations in July 2011, when these responsibilities transferred to the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention from the Department of Human Resources (Chapter 356, Acts of 2011). Programs and Implementation replaced Operations in October 2016.

Programs and Implementation helps local governments and agencies access federal and State grants to fund crime fighting strategies. It also oversees the Maryland Domestic-Violence Health-Care Screening and Response Initiative, and Grants Operations.


PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION

Planning and Implementation oversees seven units: the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program; Human Trafficking Policy; Juvenile Justice and Victim Services; Public Safety Strategies; School Bus Safety Enforcement; Victims of Crime Assistance Initiatives; and the Violence Against Women Act Program.

ENFORCING UNDERAGE DRINKING LAWS (EUDL) PROGRAM

HUMAN TRAFFICKING POLICY

JUVENILE JUSTICE & VICTIM SERVICES
Juvenile Justice and Victim Services began when the Equal Justice and Policy Division merged with the Youth Services Division on January 31, 2007. Earlier, the Equal Justice and Policy Division had formed in 2005. The Youth Services Division originated as the Youth, Justice, and Community Service Division, and became the Youth Services Division in 2003. Many functions of the two divisions dispersed to regional offices in restructuring of August 2007. Those juvenile justice functions not dispersed to regional offices were assigned to the Juvenile Justice Policy Unit in August 2007. The Unit was restructured as Juvenile Justice and Victim Services in October 2016. This unit staffs the Juvenile Grant Planning and Review Council, and the Children's Justice Act Committee.

VICTIM RIGHTS COMPLIANCE

VICTIMS OF CRIME ASSISTANCE INITIATIVES
The Victim Services Program began in 1988, later became the Victim Services and Domestic Violence Program, and adopted its present name in 1999. In December 2011, the Program moved under the Western Regional Office, which was disbanded in October 2016.

The Program administers funding and provides technical support for efforts to help victims of crime and those who suffer domestic and family violence.

Heading the Program, the Victim Services Coordinator is chosen by the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT PROGRAM
The Violence Against Women Act Program was authorized under the federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). By that federal law, states administer funds to combat crimes of violence against women and improve legal protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Under the Program, law enforcement officers, court commissioners, "911" operators, judges, and state's attorneys are trained to respond effectively to violent crimes against women. Coordinated community responses to domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault are supported. In addition, the Program provides a uniform data collection system to track offenses and standardizes the processing of legal cases involving domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault.

Since 2000, the Program has administered the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program Fund. This fund is used by local law enforcement agencies to ensure the timely and accurate entry of civil protective and ex parte orders into databases.

Formerly under the Metro Regional Office, the Program in February 2011 transferred to the Western Regional Office, and then in November 2011 to the Eastern Regional Office, which disbanded in October 2016.


PROGRAMS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT PILOT PROGRAM
In May 2000, the Domestic Violence Unit Pilot Program Fund was established (Chapter 572, Acts of 2000).

The Fund provides grants to local sheriffs' offices and police departments to create domestic violence units. Such units focus on the service of ex parte and protective orders, and keeping databases updated.

Formerly under the Metro Regional Office, the Program transferred to the Eastern Regional Office in February 2011, and then to the Western Regional Office in December 2011.

RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & EVALUATION DIVISION
The Research, Analysis, and Evaluation Division started as the Public Affairs, Policy and Research Division and reformed as Research and Evaluation in 2003. As the Planning, Research, and Legislative Support Division, it reorganized in 2007. The Division merged in 2011 with Policy and became Policy, Research, and Training. In June 2015, a separate unit for policy and planning formed, and Research moved under Operations. Within Programs and Implementation, Research reorganized as the Research, Analysis, and Evaluation Division under Programs in October 2016.

The Maryland Statistical Analysis Center is overseen by the Division.

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