“They come in, we can’t detain them. They’re back in the community the next day,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
 

Next up is holding repeat violent offenders accountable. Year after year, bills targeting tougher penalties have fallen short, putting those with dangerous criminal pasts back on our streets. Including repeat offender Jason Billingsley. The man charged with brutally killing a Baltimore Tech CEO after an alleged rape, assault, and arson the week prior.
 

“We are tired of talking about the same people committing the same crimes over and over again,” said Mayor Brandon Scott at a press conference this week.
 

“In Maryland you can earn what is called diminution credits,” said Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates.
 

Bates is also calling on lawmakers to reevaluate the current diminution credit system. Credits Billingsley, a convicted sex offender, was able to earn and cash in for an early release.
 

“Maybe the legislature should look at first-degree sex offense or first-degree rape, why are these individuals still going to be eligible for diminution credits,” said Bates.
 

And when keeping track of who is granting the plea deals and sentences, public records keep judges’ names private, despite an ongoing push for more transparency.
 

“They are hiding behind a closed courtroom and their robes,” said Sean Kennedy with the Maryland Public Policy Institute.
 

It adds up to a laundry list of serious issues that could have been addressed in years past or with a special session this summer.
 

“Basically, they kind of put, you know, the criminal justice, the crime stuff on the back burner and the problem is when you leave something on the back burner and the burner is on, the pot is going to explode and what's happened is the pot has exploded,” said Dedie.
 

According to Dedie, while the legislature’s responsible for completing the tasks, it’s Governor Wes Moore who needs to ensure the job gets done.
 

“He's going to have to be the leader on this because the legislature is much more liberal than he ran as a candidate,” said Dedie.
 

FOX45 sent questions to the governors office asking how he plans to help address these public safety concerns this session. His office responded with the following statement:

There is a severe need for substantive reform to prevent the tragic loss of life from acts of senseless gun violence.

While there are no plans for a special session, the Moore-Miller Administration is committed to working with the legislature to explore all possible options to curb the gun violence epidemic that has plagued Maryland for far too long.