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Saturday, February 10, 2018

Governor Larry Hogan Issues Executive Order on Juvenile Offenders Serving Life Sentences

Order Codifies Administration Practice Ensuring Meaningful Opportunity for Release

ANNAPOLIS, MD –
Governor Larry Hogan today signed Executive Order 01.01.2018.06, which confirms and requires that the governor weigh certain factors when considering a decision regarding parole for a juvenile offender serving a life sentence to ensure that these offenders have a meaningful opportunity for release.

“Since taking office, our administration has sought to bring balance to Maryland’s criminal justice system, which includes offering individuals who have paid their debt to society a second chance to live productive lives,” said Governor Hogan. “The policies that we have been following, which are now made law through this executive order, will help us achieve a proper balance between public safety and our administration’s goal of helping ex-offenders successfully reenter the community.”

Specifically, the order requires that the governor consider the juvenile’s age at the time of the crime and the lesser culpability of juvenile offenders compared to adult offenders. The order also requires that an offender’s demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation since the crime be considered when deciding whether to approve or disapprove a Maryland Parole Commission parole recommendation for a juvenile serving a life sentence.

Further, in order to ensure that parole considerations by the governor are consistent and structured, the order also requires the governor to consider the same factors that the Parole Commission considers for all individuals serving life sentences. If the governor disapproves parole for an inmate serving a life sentence, he will issue a written decision to the Maryland Parole Commission confirming that all of the required considerations were weighed.

This order codifies current Hogan administration practice for parole considerations. Since taking office in January 2015, the Hogan administration has paroled two individuals with life sentences and commuted seven others with life sentences.

Executive+Order+01.01.2018.06.pdf

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I dunno. Need a stipulation or 50. Like, anyone from the City of Baltimore would not get that privilege. Murderer...rapist are two others.

Need to be very careful there Mayor with a Heart!

Anonymous said...

A meaningful opportunity for release is worthless unless there's something on the end that creates (and for the public's benefit and safety) a worthwhile, employed and tax paying citizen. If it doesn't make that grade, what's the point, other than another Liberal soft touch on the government?

Anonymous said...

When juveniles are sentenced to life its because they were and are extremely violent. You would turn violent criminals loose on the public just to get a few additional votes on your reelection bid? The liberal controlled courts with their revolving doors for repeat violent offenders are bad enough, criminal even...Id hoped you could find something less dangerous for the citizens you claim to represent.

Anonymous said...

So he is gutless, and spineless, so what is next? I know, letting Sex Offenders drive school buses, or teach, babysit, be scout leaders.

Anonymous said...

Hogan is a Shill for the Liberal Democrats, he hates our President, and will do anything to ruin this state and country!

Anonymous said...

so i guess it's not really a life sentence? go figure.