NCJ Number
135927
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This report to the Maryland General Assembly indicates that the use of electronic surveillance more than doubled in the State during calendar year 1991.
Abstract
Twenty-five requests for electronic surveillance were authorized during 1991, compared to 12 authorizations in 1990, for an increase of about 108 percent. Requests for electronic surveillance were initiated in 5 of the State's 24 subdivisions, consistent with the previous year. Of the five counties requesting electronic surveillance, Baltimore County filed the greatest number of reports (64 percent of all reports filed). Prince George's County followed with 5 reports or 20 percent. Cecil County filed two reports, while Harford and Montgomery Counties each filed one report. Both the Office of the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor's Office indicated no requests were filed by their offices during 1991. Each of the 25 requests for wiretapping or electronic surveillance were granted with an original period of time of 30 days or less. Extensions were granted in eight instances, and two extensions were granted for one wiretap investigation. All requests for electronic surveillance involved crimes related to violations of controlled dangerous substances laws. Eleven or 44 percent of the electronic surveillances were located in single-family dwellings. Businesses accounted for 6 or 24 percent of the surveillances. The remaining surveillances involved two cellular phones, one pay phone, and two digital display pagers. Phone wiretaps were used in all 25 surveillances. Information was not available for one wiretap investigation, but the remaining 24 electronic surveillances resulted in 22,543 intercepts, of which 703 or 3.1 percent were of an incriminating nature. Although several investigations are still pending, 68 persons have been arrested so far. The cost of a single wiretap ranged from a low of $13,820 in Baltimore County to a high of $36,666 also in Baltimore County. 4 tables