Baltimore-area leaders make push to crack down on repeat violent crime offenders
BALTIMORE - Community organizations are calling for state and local leaders to crack down on repeat violent offenders after two men were recently arrested in connection with a kidnapping and carjacking.
The two men accused of carjacking a woman in Owings Mills last week had been arrested for violent crimes before.
Instead, 34-year-old DeAndre Jackson and 30-year-old Rashard Chandler were back on the streets to carjack and rob a woman.
Ryan Coleman, President of the Randallstown NAACP, said crime would decrease if repeat offenders were kept off the streets.
He wants the General Assembly to pass stricter laws to crack down on repeat offenders.
There is at least one bill in the legislature addressing this issue.
House Bill 736 would make it so a repeat violent offender couldn't be allowed out on bail if they have a pending charge for a violent crime or have been convicted of one in the last 10 years.
Coleman isn't in favor of the bill because he says it could be harmful for those wrongly accused.
However, he said there are other ideas that need to be considered.
"People have talked about minimum mandatory sentences," Coleman said. "They've talked about offenders serving 85 percent of their time, and I think we can do these different things and they come over the top with resources, because really, what's happening is they're not getting any resources. They're not getting any help to be reintegrated into society."
House Bill 736 is currently in committee.
According to charging documents, Jackson forced the victim into her car and made her withdraw money from an ATM.
He eventually let her go but took her car.
Investigators said they later found Jackson and Chandler in the car together at a Baltimore Royal Farms.
The two ran but police caught them. A loaded gun was also recovered.
Jackson has been charged with kidnapping, assault, carjacking and theft. Chandler has been charged with car theft and other firearm offenses.
Both men have lengthy criminal records.
According to Case Search, Jackson was previously charged with domestic violence, burglary, assault, sex abuse of a minor. Chandler had been charged with armed robbery, assault, theft, and more.
"We have to understand that there are going to be some people that need to be in jail," Coleman said. "That's just the reality of it."
