Mission

The mission of Project 6 – named after the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the right to counsel – is ending mass incarceration in Maryland and beyond by fighting for the release of those who are wrongfully convicted or serving unjust prison sentences.

Many prisoners have been forgotten by society. They are warehoused behind bars, cut off from their families, and denied the legal resources that often can be the key to freedom. Some of them have viable legal claims; some just need help navigating the state’s parole process. The goal of Project 6 is to locate these people and help them.

Initially, Project 6 will screen cases and match inmates with compelling cases with qualified pro bono attorneys. The organization investigates many different forms of relief, including: post-conviction claims, innocence claims, illegal sentencing claims, sentence modifications, and parole. As the Project 6 grows, it will represent inmates using its own staff attorneys. At all times, the organization will be an advocate for prisoners in Maryland and beyond.

The Need to Act with Urgency

While Maryland is sometimes thought of as a progressive state, its justice system is not. Maryland has a general population that is 30 percent Black, but a prison population that is 71 percent Black. This is the highest racial prison disparity in the country. While other states have dramatically cut prison populations to combat COVID-19, Maryland was one of eight states in the U.S. that failed to reduce its prison rolls by at least 10 percent.

Maryland ranks sixth highest in the country for percentage of its prison population serving life or virtual life sentences (21 percent). And, although it has made some recent progress, Maryland still lags behind other states in how it treats juvenile offenders.

The time to help is now – you can join us in our mission and donate to Project 6 today.