BALTIMORE (AP) — Auditors are looking to see if Baltimore has too many District Court judges.
WBAL-TV reports that the audit, which should be completed in the fall, is looking at caseloads statewide. But Baltimore in particular has seen a significant reduction in cases for judges to hear.
There are 28 judges assigned to Baltimore’s district courts. But caseloads have dropped dramatically since 2005, when a zero-tolerance policy was in effect.
In 2005, Baltimore district courts handled more than 6,500 criminal cases each month. Now they handle fewer than 2,300 criminal cases, a 66 percent drop.
In 2005, the height of a zero-tolerance policy, city police made an average of 7,447 arrests per month. Now, the monthly average is 2,095 arrests. That reduction since 2005 is 72 percent.
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Information from: WBAL-TV, http://www.wbaltv.com
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