Community Justice Initiative

The Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office community justice initiative is based on the State of Maryland’s public safety model called CSAFE, an acronym for Collaborative Supervision and Focused Enforcement. Under this program, communities with historically higher incidences of crime are identified, and additional police and other resources are devoted to those communities as a crime reduction and prevention strategy.

The State’s Attorney’s Office partners with the Howard County Police and other state and local agencies in designated neighborhoods within Howard County. Monthly meetings are held in those communities to improve information sharing among criminal justice and public safety agencies, and to coordinate resources with a goal of reducing crime and offender recidivism. In addition to the State’s Attorney’s Office, those agencies include:

• Howard County Department of Corrections

• Howard County Department of Police

• Howard County Office of The Sheriff

• Howard County Public School System

• Maryland Department of Juvenile Services

• Maryland Department of Parole & Probation

Each team serving a CSAFE community focuses on improving public safety and the quality of life through effective policing and prosecution, criminal offender supervision, nuisance abatement, community mobilization and coordination, and youth intervention. Whether attending community meetings, pitching in on the annual celebration of National Night Out, or pursuing the core mission of improving public safety, the CSAFE approach to community justice delivers results for Howard County citizens.

For more information, suggestions, concerns, or to arrange for a guest speaker from the State’s Attorney’s Office, contact the coordinator of Community Justice Program, Wayne Kirwan, by calling 410-313-2108 or e-mailing him at wkirwan@howardcountymd.gov.