[Letter to Activists]
At what cost do we keep the elderly, the sick, the infirm in prison? Does Maryland have an effective approach to compassionate release?
As noted by Senator Hettleman, “Capital punishment was abolished in Maryland as a failed and immoral policy in 2013 because it was ineffectual in deterring crime, could not be administered without racial bias, and cost three times that of incarcerating someone for life.
Today, we face another practice that poses critical questions surrounding human dignity and fiscal responsibility, and exposes a different brand of death sentence. It is the long-term incarceration of chronically ill, elderly and incapacitated individuals.” See the Senator’s opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun “Compassionate release from prison: a moral imperative.”
Unfortunately, the ambiguous legislative language of Maryland’s geriatric and medical release policies results in excluding almost everyone because of a lack of clear standards within the Maryland Parole Commission, which means very few people are ever granted parole for those who are considered “eligible.”
Due to extreme sentencing, Maryland is experiencing growth in our aging prison population. Along with an aging population come increased costs for healthcare and other conditions associated with growing old. There are hundreds of geriatric-aged individuals still in Maryland’s prison system.
Have compassion.
What we need you to do.
Ask your legislator to support HB600/SB562 which will simultaneously reduce Maryland prison populations, save taxpayer funds, and cause little or no adverse impact to public safety. Let your legislator know how you feel about the incarcerating our elderly and our infirm citizens.
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[Email to legislator]
Compassionate Release
As your constituent I am writing to ask for your support for HB600/SB562 implementing an effective compassionate release program for Maryland.
As noted by Senator Hettleman, “Capital punishment was abolished in Maryland as a failed and immoral policy in 2013 because it was ineffectual in deterring crime, could not be administered without racial bias, and cost three times that of incarcerating someone for life.
Today, we face another practice that poses critical questions surrounding human dignity and fiscal responsibility, and exposes a different brand of death sentence. It is the long-term incarceration of chronically ill, elderly and incapacitated individuals.” See the Senator’s opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun “Compassionate release from prison: a moral imperative.”
Unfortunately, the ambiguous legislative language of Maryland’s geriatric and medical release policies results in excluding almost everyone because of a lack of clear standards within the Maryland Parole Commission, which means very few people are ever granted parole for those who are considered “eligible.”
Due to extreme sentencing, Maryland is experiencing growth in our aging prison population. Along with an aging population come increased costs for healthcare and other conditions associated with growing old. There are hundreds of geriatric-aged individuals still in Maryland’s prison system.
Incarceration costs Marylanders $46,000 per inmate annually and increases exponentially as prisoners age. We estimate that it costs $36 million a year to care for the 902 prisoners who are age 60 and older. And, just as it does outside the walls, caring for older people with chronic medical conditions costs substantially more.
We ask with Senator Hettleman, at what cost to taxpayers does it make sense to keep elderly citizens behind bars? And at what point will moral imperative call us to enable those most infirm to secure the health care and dignity of their final days outside the prison walls?
Have compassion.
Support HB600/SB562 which will simultaneously reduce Maryland prison populations, save taxpayer funds, and cause little or no adverse impact to public safety.
