A recent report by the Justice Policy Institute finds that Maryland imprisons African Americans at twice the national rate. More than 7 out of 10 prisoners in Maryland are black, while the national average is 3 in 10.

Ryan King, the report’s author, says disparate treatment occurs at every level, from arrest to prosecution to sentencing. Read the report here.

And Gregory Carpenter, who spent two decades behind bars, describes how lengthy sentences for young black men disrupt families and whole communities.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Racially restrictive housing covenants were once common in Baltimore. Eventually, federal rules and regulations locked in even sharper barriers to mortgage loans and housing access. A traveling exhibit titled, “Undesign the Redline,” now at the Central Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, uses maps and stories to show how explicit racism became structural. Facilitator Trent Hall tells us about the exhibit. He hopes visitors leave with a sense of purpose.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Struggling military veterans can get trapped in a vicious cycle of mental illness and substance abuse, and sometimes land behind bars. But there is a program they can turn to for help. The Veterans Treatment Court provides services and holds vets accountable so they can turn their lives around. Judge Halee Weinstein presides over the Veterans Treatment Court and describes how it works. Plus, we visit a hearing to meet some of the veteran participants and mentors.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

The first half of the title of C. Fraser Smith’s new book may sound reverent--a miracle! Every day! But along with the tales of eccentric characters in the newsrooms where Smith has worked, "The Daily Miracle" offers a hint of sarcasm, plus anguish about the challenges that threaten newspapers. When papers wither, Smith says the community loses a valuable ally.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Urgent alarms from the U.N. and the European Parliament call for intensified commitment to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, while the Trump Administration pursues pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

As scientists warn that time is running out, young people are taking action. We speak to artist and activist Nadia Nazar of the youth-led organization Zero Hour.

Plus, a mapping tool that predicts your city’s future climate. Spatial ecologist Matthew Fitzpatrick tells us why the Maryland of 2080 may feel more like Mississippi or Arkansas.

You can hear more from Nadia Nazar and Matthew Fitzpatrick at the Institute of Marine & Environmental Technology tonight, following a screening of the National Geographic film “From Paris to Pittsburgh: The Climate for Change is Now”. Register here.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Partner abuse takes many forms. One that’s on the rise is cyber stalking. It can be deployed using common methods: like nonstop texting, hacking or trolling. The nonprofit Chana supports people experiencing domestic harassment. Regarding technology, executive director Lauren Shaivitz warns that almost anything with an internet connection can be used as a weapon. And Faye, a client of Chana, says its support gives her peace of mind.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Produce bins at the grocery stores are filled with fruits and vegetables from around the world. What about the bounty grown close to home? Renee Brooks Catacalos has written “The Chesapeake Table: Your Guide to Eating Local”.

She says beyond boosting Maryland’s economy by choosing locally grown and produced foods - foods that spend less time in transit just taste better.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

For nearly fifty years, John Clark Mayden has viewed life through a distinctive lens. His black-and-white photographs capture ordinary moments--passengers riding the bus, weary workers pausing for a break-and spark our curiosity. When was this photo taken? Where are these people now? We talk with Mayden about how he got his start, and how his style has changed over time. You can see his photos at the Peabody Library through March 1, 2020.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Singing is a lifelong joy, and joining a choir can stave off isolation and build friendships--big reasons why Jeanne Kelly founded Encore Creativity for Older Adults. It’s a national network of choirs where singers over 55 learn and perform rigorous choral music. Soprano Esther Layton tells us what's kept her coming back for over a decade.

Encore's free holiday concert series begins December 1st. View the schedule of concerts here. See videos of Encore performances here.

And we preview the new production of “The Nutcracker” at the Baltimore School for the Arts with Laura Halm, head of the dance department, and senior Christopher Owens. Performances run December 12-14th.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Every month close to 200 people in Maryland die from a drug overdose--mostly the opioid fentanyl. The toll is especially stubborn in Baltimore. The Abell Foundation commissioned Natanya Robinowitz, executive director of Charm City Care Connection, to probe what Baltimore can learn from how Barcelona, Spain, combats addiction--a comprehensive network of care, including spaces where people can use illicit drugs under medical monitoring. She's joined by Aura Ruig , founder and leader of Metzineres, a women-only harm reduction center in Barcelona for women who use drugs and who have survived violence. Plus, Nina Feldman, health reporter for WHYY, tells us how the first safe-injection site in the U.S. may open in Philadelphia.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472