Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to the editor of the Baltimore Sun, February 11, 2000

ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR. ASSISTANT 06PUTV MAJORITY WHIP Congress ot tijc iHiutcS States JSlouSt ot feprtSmtatitiM ®®ast)mgtDn, 53C 20515—2002 February 11,2000 Editor Baltimore Sun 501 North Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21278 Dear Editor: Dukdalx. md : 14101 780-3811 surra 204 The Sun 's February 7 editorial, “It’s past the time for a crackdown on guns” is past due but certainly welcome. I have worked over the last year and a half to bring Richmond’s Project Exile to Maryland. The United States Attorney for Maryland could easily adopt Project Exile — with existing federal laws - to combat the spiraling murder rate in Baltimore. Project Exile is a proven crime fighting initiative which denies gun-toting criminals bail and plea bargains and sentences them to mandatory prison terms. In three years, under Project Exile, 576 gun-toting criminals have been prosecuted in Richmond. As a result, the City’s murder rate dropped from 68 murders per 100,000 persons to 38 murders per 100,000 persons, almost a 50% decrease. In Maryland, however, gun charges are routinely plea bargained by prosecutors. In Baltimore, over the past five years, the U. S. Attorney’s office has prosecuted only 275 gun-toting criminals. Accordingly, since 1994, the murder rate in Baltimore has increased from 43 murders per 100,000 persons to 46 per 100,000 persons. Sadly, the message has not been lost on gun-toting criminals: In Richmond, they know they will be prosecuted; in Baltimore, they know they might be prosecuted. Project Exile, and its true assault on violent crimes, can proceed in Maryland if legislation pending in Annapolis passes this session. Bills to close a loophole which allows convicted felons to avoid mandatory prison sentences and bills to establish new standards to deny bail to persons arrested with guns would bring Maryland’s laws in line with those used so successfully in Richmond. Virginia’s approach works. Frankly, Maryland’s approach does not. Why not adopt a different approach? Why the hesitation to change? In the meantime, I will keep working to bring this proven, crime-fighting initiative to Maryland. l/l 'd 80 If °N Wd 1 8 : 8 966 1 '£ ' I np