If you would like to join our community, we have many projects that could really use your help and input! Just let us know your interest on this form! Thank you!
Courtwatching
We observe court hearings, online or in person, confer with fellow courtwatchers and record what happened: to call out specific abuses, build our database, and support legal action against systematic injustice. We can always use more courtwatchers. We hope to be able to branch out to watching more kinds of hearings. Courtwatching is on weekdays, almost always in the afternoon.
Letter-Writing
We use courtwatcher reports and other research to bring grave problems to the attention of officials in a position to address them, and to the attention of the public – and also to commend officials who go the extra mile. See our letters.
Deaths in Custody Legislation
In 2022 and 2023, though a series of Maryland Public Information Act Requests, we compelled the disclosure of the number and manner of recent deaths in jails throughout Maryland. In the 2024 legislative session, we have bills before the Maryland House and Senate to establish a Maryland Deaths in Custody Oversight Board.
Social Media and Website
We distill our stories, data, and ideas to alert and inform a wider public through social media, including regular reporting on our website.
Data Analysis
We curate and analyze a sophisticated and constantly growing database, and we mine other databases available online, to illuminate problems with the criminal legal system in Prince George’s County.