Md. Code Regs. 12.02.03.11

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 12.02.03.11 - Community and Public Relations

A. General.

(1) The facility shall conduct an on-going program of public information to encourage understanding, acceptance and support of its programs.

(2) The facility shall participate in community planning organizations as they relate to the services rendered by the facility.

(3) The facility shall prepare an annual report and make it available to the public.

(4) The facility shall maintain connective relationships with other components of the criminal justice system, such as law enforcement, public defender, judges, sheriff's office, Division of Correction and Division of Parole and Probation.

(5) The facility shall maintain connective relationships with non-criminal justice agencies, such as educational institutions, vocational training centers, employment offices, mental health services and social service agencies.

(6) The facility shall have a written public information policy which outlines provisions governing staff and inmate contact with the news media.

B. Community Advisory Board.

(1) At the time a facility is established, a community advisory board shall also be established according to the provisions of Correctional Services Article, § 11-312, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(2) Meetings of the community advisory board should be scheduled monthly at a location provided by the facility director.

(3) All community advisory board meetings should be conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order."

(4) The community advisory board should elect annually from within its membership a chairman, secretary, and any other officers it deems necessary.

(5) Minutes of all community advisory board meetings should be taken by a duly elected secretary of the community advisory board. These minutes shall be typed, copied and distributed by the facility director within 7 days of receipt. Copies shall be distributed to all community advisory board members, the Commissioner of Correction, the county executive, mayor or county commissioners as the case may be.

(6) The community advisory board should review and report on the facility's program semi-annually and shall have access to the facility at all times.

(7) Within 2 weeks of the program review, a report should be sent to the county executive, mayor or president of the county commissioners, as the case may be, the Commissioner of Correction, the facility director, and the board of directors, if the facility is privately operated.

(8) If the community advisory board, after consultation with the facility director, is unable to resolve any difficulty concerning the operations of the facility, written notification of the difficulty shall be forwarded by the community advisory board to the local government with copies to the Commissioner and facility director in the case of locally operated centers, and to the Commissioner with copies to the local government in the case of a State operated center.

(9) The community advisory board is encouraged to conduct an on- going program of public information to inform the community about the facility, its purposes, program and performance, and to develop citizen participation in support of the facility's program.

(10) The facility director should advise the chairman of the community advisory board of:

(a) Any serious incidents which are required to be reported to federal, State or local authorities, at the same time they are reported to these authorities; and

(b) Any complaints received from the community regarding facility operations.

(11) At each monthly meeting of the community advisory board, the director of the facility should present a report to the board. At a minimum, this report should include the following:

(a) All intake for preceding month;

(b) All terminations for preceding month;

(c) All successful releases;

(d) Population on first and last day of preceding month;

(e) Any new convictions of releases;

(f) Any new convictions of residents currently in house;

(g) Any violations or warning given by the federal, State or local correctional agency having responsibility for those assigned to the facility or given by any other governmental agency, having authority over the health, safety and welfare conditions within the facility; and

(h) A copy of the monthly management information system summary as sent to the Division of Correction.

Md. Code Regs. 12.02.03.11