About

About the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman

The Office of the Correctional Ombudsman (OCO) is an independent agency that helps ensure fairness, safety, and accountability within Maryland’s correctional and juvenile facilities. OCO receives and investigates concerns from incarcerated individuals, detained youth, and their families, working to resolve issues and improve conditions across the system.

Created under Senate Bill 134 (Chapter 836, Laws of Maryland 2024), the OCO operates independently from the agencies it oversees and has the authority to review complaints, conduct inspections, and make recommendations to support transparency and effective operations.

Mission

It is the mission of the OCO, as the independent monitor of the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, to promote reform within the institutions, advocating humane treatment and transparency for those in the carceral system of Maryland.

Vision

Prisons in the United States are often punitive, with little growth towards rehabilitation. Most of the incarcerated are returned to society, and their community. Recidivism is the yardstick in which we measure the effectiveness of corrections. We aspire to reform the prison system into one that is equitable, humane, transparent, and provides for successful reentry upon release.

Facilities

As legislated, the OCO is focused on all facilities in the Jessup area (DRCF, JCI, MCIJ, MCIW, Patuxent), with the intention of expanding to all DPSCS facilities in the future. All juvenile facilities are currently being monitored by the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit.

For facility contact information, visitation details, administrative staff, and other pertinent information:

Department of Juvenile Services Facility Locator

Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Facility Locator

Statutory authority

SB134, signed into law in 2024, established the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman of Maryland (OCO). The OCO is intended to be an independent investigatory agency that oversees the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Structure

The Office of the Correctional Ombudsman is housed within the Office of the Governor and reports directly to the Governor. It is independent of the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Authorized activities

OCO is tasked with receiving complaints and investigating concerns about the health, safety, welfare, and rehabilitation of youth and adults incarcerated in Maryland facilities. Investigations can be conducted under OCO’s own initiative or prompted by a complaint. In most cases, complainants must pursue the internal grievance process before filing a complaint with OCO.

Access to facilities

OCO also has access to perform site visits and inspections at any facility, unannounced, for the purpose of providing incarcerated people information about individual rights and services available, monitoring compliance, inspecting areas which are used by incarcerated people, and meeting with incarcerated people.

Access to information

OCO has the right to access and copy relevant DJS and DPSCS information, records, or documents necessary for their investigations into complaints, including service contractors with the agencies.