Inmate Programs

G.E.D. Program

The Baltimore County Office of Adult Education provides G.E.D. instructors to the facility to assist inmates in completing their high school education. Additionally, State law requires the Department of Corrections to provide continuing high school education for all detainees under the age of 21 who have not yet earned a G.E.D. or High School Diploma.

Baltimore County Public Library

The Department of Corrections’ Detention Center has within its confines a branch of the Baltimore County Public Library. The library provides educational and recreational reading materials for the inmate population.

Substance Abuse Counseling

Through partnerships with both the Baltimore County Office of Substance Abuse and Gaudenzia, LLC, substance abuse services are offered at the Detention Center as well as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous. This includes court assessments as well as counseling.

Religious Services

Additional Programs

Through partnerships with other County agencies including the Health Department, Social Services, Community Colleges of Baltimore County, and several non-profit agencies self-improvement programs are offered in anger management, healthy choices, domestic violence, job skills, and many others. Inmates can access any of the above programs by sending a #118 form to their Classification Officer.

For additional information, please call the Programs Manager at 410-512-3400.

Community Corrections

Baltimore County Work Release Program

An inmate sentenced to the Baltimore County Department of Corrections may participate in this program if he/she is recommended by the sentencing judge and meets the Department’s eligibility criteria. The program offers an inmate the opportunity to continue working while incarcerated, allowing financial support to be provided to his/her family. The unit remains supervised by the Department of Corrections and is supported by local community businesses.

For additional information, please call the Work Release Unit at 410-512-3340.

Home Detention Program

Court ordered pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates may be eligible. This program offers a less expensive alternative to incarceration. The unit utilizes computerized tracking and electronic monitoring to monitor the location of inmates. As in the Work Release Program, the inmate also has the opportunity to work and provide financially for his/her family. 

For additional information please call the Home Detention Unit at 410-512-3429.

Pre-Release

The pre-release designation was implemented in 1986, expanding on the same principles of work release to include inmate work details. Qualified inmates near the end of a sentence are housed in a less restrictive environment and used for inter-agency work details. The Department of Recreation and Parks has employed some inmates after the completion of their sentence. Pre-release workers are also a major part of the Maryland Environmental Services recycle facility work force in Cockeysville.  

For additional information, please call the Community Corrections Unit at 410-512-3340.

Weekenders

The Detention Center houses male and female offenders sentenced by the court to serve "weekends" usually from Friday at 6 p.m. until Sunday at 6 p.m. Occasionally the "weekend" sentence will be served on weekdays to accommodate the offender's work schedule of regular days off.

Pretrial Services

Baltimore County Pretrial Services operates within the Department of Corrections. It serves both the District and Circuit Courts of Baltimore County by providing verified background information and criminal histories on defendants scheduled for bail reviews. Qualified defendants are placed on Pretrial Services supervision in lieu of bail, and conditions of release are monitored.

For additional information, please call the Classification Unit at 410-3241.

Alternative Sentencing Program

The Baltimore County Department of Corrections’ Alternative Sentencing Program supervises offenders who are court-ordered to one of two program components: Community Service or T.A.S.C. (Treatment Alternative to Street Crimes.)  An offender can be supervised by one or both components of the Alternative Sentencing Program.

Community Service

The Community Service Program provides a court-ordered means for offenders to work without compensation for a specific number of hours in a non-profit community or government agency. Its goals are to provide non-violent offenders an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the community in lieu of fines and/or incarceration.
For additional information please call the Alternative Sentencing Office at 410-512-3343.

T.A.S.C. (Treatment Alternatives To Street Crime)

The T.A.S.C. (Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime) Program provides evaluation and supervision to substance abuse dependent individuals referred by the Baltimore County Circuit Court, District Court, and/or the Office of the State’s Attorney. Through treatment referral and closely supervised community reintegration, T.A.S.C. aims to permanently interrupt the cycle of addiction and encourage positive societal behaviors. Case Management occurs in our Towson office as well as in Dundalk, Essex, and Catonsville.

For additional information please call the Alternative Sentencing Office at 410-512-3343.

Program FAQs

Q: What religious services are available?

A. The Department of Corrections will provide religious opportunities for all denominations through volunteer religious providers.

Q. How can I be placed on the Work Release Program?

A. If you are recommended by the court, meet the eligibility criteria of the department, and recommended by Classification staff, your name will be submitted to the Medical Unit for medical clearance. Upon receiving a medical clearance, you will be approved for participation and transferred to the Work Release Housing Unit.

Q. Are there fees to participate in the Work Release and/or Home Detention Programs?

A. Yes, there is one-time $25.00 non-refundable urine testing lab fee for inmates on home detention and for inmates who will be working outside employment. There is no urine testing lab fee for inmates who work Baltimore County work details such as MES, Highways, etc. 

However, if an inmate is on the Work Release Program and has paid his lab fee, then he is not charged the same fee again if transferred to the Home Detention Program.

Additionally, for the Work Release Program there is a $50 weekly board fee for inmates employed outside the facility.

For the Home Detention Program there is a one-time $34 non-refundable fee of which $25 is for a urine test and $9 for the ankle bracelet. Additionally, there is a $70 weekly fee of which $50 is paid towards the program and $20 is set up as a security deposit to be returned to the inmate at the end of the program.

Community Service Questions

Q. The Court has sentenced me to the Community Service Program in Baltimore County.  Do I have to be seen in the Baltimore County Community Service Program office?

A. Yes, regardless of whether you were sentenced in Baltimore County or transferred from another County or State, all offenders must be interviewed in this office.

Q. Can I transfer my case or community hours to another County, or State?

A. You personally cannot transfer your case. Once interviewed in this office, your hours can be transferred. Your Community Service Case Manager will make that determination. Since your case originated in Baltimore County, we retain custody of your case reporting any infractions directly to the court.

Q. Can I perform community hours on my own?

A. No, the court has sentenced you to be supervised by this program. We have a list of private non-profit and government worksites that have agreed to our established criteria.

Q. Where can I work and what type of work will I perform?

A. Where you will work and what type of work is determined by your skills, where you live, your employment and/or school schedule, and where we have openings. Work assignments are made in your community if possible; however, many times it is not. Your Community Service Case Manager has the final decision of where you will perform the hours.

Q. How often must I work?

A. If you are unemployed and/or employed part-time or are a part-time student, you will be required to work at least sixteen (16) hours per week on a regular predetermined schedule. If you are employed full-time and/or a full-time student, you will be required to work at least eight (8) hours per week on a regular predetermined scheduled. You will set up a work schedule with your worksite supervisor giving specific dates and times for each week.

Q. What happens if I don’t follow all the Community Service rules? 

A. You will be terminated from this program. Termination will result in you returning to court for a violation of probation or your case being returned to the State’s Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Then you may receive one or more of the penalties you were trying to avoid.

Q. Do I have to pay a Community Service Program fee?

A. Yes. The Community Service Program charges all offenders a non-refundable twenty-five  ($25) dollar administrative processing fee due at the time of the interview. The fee can only be paid at the Baltimore County Detention Center Finance Office. Only cash or money orders (made payable to Baltimore County, MD) are accepted.

Q. The Court ordered me to TASC.  What does TASC Stand for?

A. The letters stand for Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime. It is a program unique to Baltimore County in the State of Maryland.

Q. Can I transfer my TASC case to another county or out of state if I move?

A. No unlike Parole and Probation, a TASC case is only enforceable in Baltimore County. If you wish to leave the area you must contact the judge in your case and ask for permission and for your case to be closed with TASC.

Q. What are the criteria for being placed on TASC?

A. TASC is primarily assigned by judges for drug offenders who would benefit from intensive case management services to get treatment and monitoring.

Q. How is TASC different from Parole and Probation?

A. TASC is considered more intensive case management than Parole and Probation. Offenders are required to report for the entire length of their probation. There are no call-ins and completion of a treatment program is usually required.  Additionally, random urinalysis testing is conducted on a regular basis.

Q. How are TASC fees paid?

A. Many people think that they can pay their TASC fees at the District or Circuit Court. TASC fees must be paid at the Finance office at BCDC. Only cash or money orders are accepted. All TASC program fees and urinalysis fees are paid at this location.

Revised March 20, 2009