General Information

Graph Legend

  • Billion = In Billions of Dollars
  • Million = In Millions of Dollars
  • Current = In Year 2010 Dollars
  • 2000 = In Year 2000 Dollars

Cost of Crime

Cost of Crime

Why Do We Measure Crime?

No nation hiding behind locked doors is free, for it is imprisoned by its own fear. No nation whose citizens fear to walk their own streets is healthy, for in isolation lies the poisoning of public participation. Robert Kennedy

Every individual has a right to live in a safe neighborhood, a neighborhood where our kids can have a place to play free of crime, violence or hypodermic needles a basic aspiration that's universal to all human beings, the entire human family.

Trends

After decades of steady incline, costs stemming from the prevention and consequences of crime have leveled off in the past few years.

Office of Governor

Actions Taken
by Governor O'Malley

Crime Prevention

  • Innovative statewide initiatives, such as the Violence Prevention Initiative within the Division of Parole and Probation, identifies that relatively small core group of dangerous offenders most likely to engage in violent crime and applies a containment model to effectively manage and supervise them.
  • CompStat-On-Demand ensures that all law enforcement agencies in Maryland have the resources needed to develop CompStat programs to improve data-driven policing strategies; including, free crime analysis training, local crime mapping and regional crime mapping.
  • The State has established Security Integration as the most cost effective approach to improving public safety by streamlining databases and resources across agencies.

Public Safety & Drug Treatment Initiatives

  • Maryland has expanded drug treatment options across the continuum of care for those in the criminal justice system to help eliminate many of the causes of crime.
  • The Family Violence Council has brought together advocacy leaders from various systems and disciplines to execute a plan to reduce family violence in Maryland.
  • Governor O'Malley has signed legislation that takes firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers.
  • Governor O'Malley has signed legislation enacting stricter penalties for drunk drivers.
  • Maryland is establishing speed cameras in highway work zones to protect drivers and road workers.