Analysis of Maryland’s July 2017 Bail Rule across Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city and Prince Georges County

Background

On July 1, 2017, the Maryland Court of Appeals adopted a rule that intended to limit the use of cash bail in an effort to ensure that money is less of a determinant in whether citizens remain in jail or are freed prior to standing trial. This analysis intends to examine whether that rule has been applied evenly and equitably across Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s County.

Dates

Baltimore City and Prince George’s County records were pulled dating back to January 1, 2014 and Anne Arundel County records were pulled dating back to January 1, 2016. Due to the two different systems, the records are organized differently, but a unifying approach was taken to ensure consistency.

Major Findings

Held Without Bail (HWOB) Rulings

Across all three jurisdictions, HWOB (Held without Bail) rulings increased. Baltimore City had the steepest increase in HWOB rulings as shown in the graph below. In other words, Baltimore City most frequently held “Black/African American” defendants in jail as an answer to limiting cash bail. According to our analysis, the increase in HWOB at initial hearings is not seen similarly among other
races suggesting a possible racial bias with which these rulings are handed down, specifically in Baltimore City toward “Black/African American” defendants