Bill would eliminate diminution credits for first degree sex offenders
Baltimore, Md. (January 16, 2024) - Today, State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates and Delegate Elizabeth M. Embry (D-43A) joined the family of Pava Marie LaPere, a 26-year-old tech company CEO who was killed in her apartment building on September 22, 2023, to announce the Pava Marie LaPere Act. If passed by the Maryland General Assembly this legislative session, the bill would eliminate diminutive credits for first-degree sex offenders. Currently, an inmate sentenced to the custody of the Division of Correction is entitled to earn "diminution of confinement credits" to reduce their term of incarceration. Diminution credits accumulate monthly and can be forfeited or restricted due to inmate misbehavior while incarcerated.
"It is apparent that our current system is deeply flawed when an individual with a criminal record that shows their propensity to threaten public safety can be released from prison early," said State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates. "While my office continues to do everything in our power to deliver justice on behalf of Ms. Pava Marie LaPere, it is paramount that we take this extra step to prevent such an atrocity from ever happening again in the State of Maryland. I sincerely thank Delegate Embry for sponsoring the bill and Mayor Scott for his unwavering support."
“A person who commits first degree rape should not be released before the conclusion of their sentence without the review and judgment of the parole commission," said Delegate Elizabeth M. Embry.
Under current law, an inmate serving a sentence for first or second-degree rape, a first or second-degree sexual offense against a victim under the age of 16, or a subsequent conviction of a third-degree sexual offense against a victim under the age of 16 may not receive diminution credits. Additionally, an inmate imprisoned for a lifetime sexual offender supervision violation cannot receive credits. This proposed law would add individuals convicted of a first-degree sex offense to the list of ineligible recipients regardless of the age of the victim.
“It’s clear that in certain instances, our diminution credit system is not working as intended and needs to be amended,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Although these credits are important for allowing and incentivizing the equitable rehabilitation of inmates serving time for lesser offenses, they should not be facilitating mandatory early release for anyone serving time for heinous crimes like rape and murder. We must do better by both our communities that are impacted by these systems and those people who are incarcerated who live it each day.”
"Pava was a 2019 graduate of Johns Hopkins University. While a student there, she started EcoMap Technologies, in her dorm room. It now employs close to 30 Baltimoreans, with 50% people of color, and 50% women, now leading the way, in her absence," said Frank LaPere, Pava LaPere's father. "Pava was already accomplishing her dream, in her chosen, adoptive home of Baltimore, by helping others from historically under-represented communities, including that of this defendant and his other victims. While this is a tragic, horrific loss, which could have been avoided, Pava’s vision and dreams are living on. We cannot allow the system that led to this injustice to continue."