As Maryland’s legislature reconvenes for the 2025 session, lawmakers can demonstrate humanity, justice and fiscal responsibility by passing the Geriatric and Medical Parole bill. This crucial legislation would ensure that individuals who are aging, terminally ill or otherwise incapacitated are granted a dignified second chance outside the prison walls. Our research has long underscored the urgent need for such reforms. Maryland cannot wait another year to act.

For me, this issue is deeply personal. In 1996, my father, incarcerated in Washington, D.C.’s prison system, was granted medical parole while living with AIDS. At the time, he had a low T-cell count and was also grappling with adult-onset diabetes, chronic infections and severe fungal conditions. These extreme health challenges were not simply a matter of his illness; they were also a direct result of inadequate and substandard medical care within the prison system.

When my father was finally released, he had family support and medical care until he passed away. His case is a testament to the necessity of compassionate release policies.

A Justice Policy Institute report exposes Maryland’s so-called compassionate release as a failure — keeping aging, overwhelmingly Black individuals behind bars until they are near death, despite posing almost no public safety risk, costing taxpayers millions and ignoring common-sense reforms like expanded medical parole, geriatric release and alternative care options.

Research consistently demonstrates that age is one of the most reliable predictors of declining criminal behavior. Individuals over 60 represent the lowest risk group for recidivism. National studies have found that re-offense rates for people released at age 60 or older are quite low, a stark contrast to the recidivism rates of younger populations. The New York City Council’s Justice in Aging report indicates that 4% of individuals over 65 return to prison for new convictions within three years of release. This low likelihood of re-offense underscores a fundamental reality: Incarcerating aging and ailing individuals long past their active years of offending offers no meaningful public safety benefit.

Our research also highlights the stark racial disparities that pervade Maryland’s justice system.

Maryland leads the nation in incarcerating young Black men, sentenced to the longest prison terms, at a rate 25% higher than the next nearest state — Mississippi — and has more than twice the national average of incarcerated Black people in the United States. Further, Black Marylanders are disproportionately represented among those eligible for compassionate release, reflecting broader inequities in the system. Failing to act on this legislation perpetuates these injustices and drains resources that could be invested in community-based health care and support services.

Compassionate release is not just a moral imperative; it is also a matter of fiscal prudence. Incarcerating individuals with severe medical conditions costs the state far more than providing care in community settings.

According to JPI’s analysis, Maryland spends tens of thousands of dollars annually per aging prisoner on health care costs alone.

Redirecting these funds toward community-based solutions would not only save money but also strengthen public health and safety.

This legislation is an opportunity for Maryland to lead with values prioritizing dignity and redemption. It acknowledges that justice is not served by letting people languish in cells when they could receive care and support in the community.

As I reflect on my father’s journey, I am reminded of the humbling power of compassion. Maryland has the opportunity to offer a reprieve from suffering — a chance for these individuals to live the remainder of their days with dignity, surrounded by loved ones and free from the dehumanizing conditions of prison.

Let us not wait for more lives to be cut short by neglect and indifference.

Passing the Geriatric and Medical Parole bill is an act of compassion, justice and common sense. The time to act is now.

Jasmine L. Tyler is the executive director of the Justice Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based national nonprofit organization that advocates for fair and effective justice policies.