Community Outreach

Since January 1995, the Office of the State's Attorney for Howard County has instituted several community outreach programs. In addition, members of the Office have been involved in related community agencies and activities.

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Truancy Prevention Project – Long Reach HotSpot/Cluster

Studies have long indicated that chronic truancy is frequently a precursor to more serious activity, including criminal activity. With that in mind, Pam Blackwell, Coordinator, Student Services with the Howard County school system established a Workgroup in April of 2001 which was tasked to address the issue of truancy in Howard County. The initial group consisted of representatives of the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), the State's Attorney's Office (SAO), the Mental Health Authority (MHA), the Howard County Police Department (HCPD), the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Those early meetings assessed the issue of truancy and its consequences – both to the individual student and the community at large.

The group agreed to begin a pilot project modeled after a Baltimore County program, Project Attend. At this point, "Project Attend" Howard County is proceeding in the Long Reach High School cluster – i.e., Long Reach High School and its feeder middle school (Mayfield Woods) and the feeder elementary schools (Deep Run and Waterloo). The administrators and pupil personnel workers (PPW) for the selected schools were added to the Workgroup. The Office on Aging has also joined, and will assist in the volunteer piece. The Sheriff's Office is now participating in the group, and will assist with the delivery of the letters establishing the initial hearing.

The pilot program began with the (2002-03) school year, and has set goals of improving attendance and academic achievement among the chronic truants by intervening early; by attempting to identify the underlying causes of each particular student's truancy; and by providing services and support to families through the involvement of agencies and businesses in the community. Once the matter has been addressed with the student and parent(s), the volunteers will check daily on the attendance of those identified. If attendance does not then improve, the matter will be considered for prosecution by the State's Attorney's Office.

Sexual Assault Center Liaison

The Sexual Trauma and Treatment Recovery Center (STTAR; formerly, the Howard County Sexual Assault Center) assists victims of sexual assault and related crimes. One prosecutor serves as a liaison to STTAR. This liaison provides general information to the Board of Directors about the nature and success of sexual assault prosecutions. The liaison works closely with members of the Center to provide better services to victims of sexual assault who are involved in the criminal justice process.

Domestic Violence Center

The Domestic Violence Center assists victims and their families with problems arising out of domestic abuse. Since January 1995, our Office has worked closely with the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County, Inc. (DVC). In May 1996, previous State's Attorney Marna McLendon received a Partnership Award from DVC for the Office's efforts in aggressively prosecuting domestic violence cases. The Office also participates on the Family and Sexual Violence Coordinating Council, which is staffed by the DVC.

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