From educating youth, parents and teachers of the potential hazards of the Internet and social media, to preventing teen smoking, to encouraging evidence-based best practices to assist at-risk youth, and reducing juvenile crime, our office is committed to protecting and safeguarding Maryland's children. Find out more information and other resources on how our office is Safeguarding Children.
The Office of the Attorney General is committed to using its full resources to support the efforts of police and prosecutors throughout the state in the fight against crime. In collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, the Criminal Division is responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases in four important areas: fraud and corruption, organized crime, crimes of exploitation, and environmental enforcement. In addition, the Criminal Appeals Division handles all appeals of convictions.
The Criminal Division concentrates on complex crimes where the State is defrauded, where the public trust in State institutions is broken, and where organizations undermine the financial laws of the State to steal from the public. Investigations result in cases involving a broad range of criminal such as Medicaid fraud, tax fraud, procurement fraud, insurance fraud, securities crimes, and state employee misconduct. The Unit collaborates with federal authorities, as well as the Office of the Comptroller, the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Securities Division, and the Office of the State Prosecutor.
Prosecutors in the Organized Crime Unit concentrate on the individuals and organizations responsible for sustained and serious violence, as well as the criminal activities that fuel these organizations and devastate local communities.There is a special focus on heroin trafficking and fatal overdose deaths, illegal gun trafficking and gun violence, criminal gangs, and prison corruption. Working closely with local law enforcement, the Maryland State Police, and federal agencies including ATF, DEA, and FBI, the Unit uses a wide range of investigative tools from undercover operations to wiretaps.
The Attorney General's Crimes of Exploitation Task Force seeks to protect against criminals who target vulnerable populations, with investigations involving financial schemes that prey on the elderly; to physical and sexual abuse in nursing homes and by health care professionals; to crimes exploiting low-income workers.
The Environmental Enforcement Unit focuses on investigating and prosecuting businesses and individuals poisoning our air and water, degrading public land, and exposing children and communities to serious health risks. Prosecutors work with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), paying close attention to threats to the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, and wildlife; to illegal discharge of pollutants into the air, soil, and water, particularly those that pose a risk to human health and safety; and to large-scale illegal dumping.
