We believe that a community of creative problem-solvers, faced with complicated, seemingly intractable challenges, is well-served by thought-provoking, research-based information and analysis. We support the development and dissemination of research in two ways:
Abell Reports are commissioned reports by subject matter experts, academics, and investigative journalists that provide studies of selected issues on the public agenda.
These projects – undertaken with grant funding by academics and nonprofit research and advocacy organizations – advance learning on issues key to Baltimore City.
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In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a consent decree for the Baltimore Police Department, mandating wide-ranging reforms. In a pair of companion reports, researchers from the University of Maryland examine the current state of community-police relations and how certain initiatives could help to improve them.
Eviction prevention programs, which cover up to three months of past-due rent, are a cost-effective way to stabilize families, pay landlords, and reduce costs to the state. This report examines two different scenarios that would prevent disruptive displacements.
Ten years ago, Maryland’s legislature passed a bill to expedite utilities’ replacement of their natural gas pipes in the name of safety. Since then, Maryland has adopted ambitious climate goals that will require the near elimination of natural gas use in homes by 2045. Yet the state continues to allow utilities to invest billions in replacing pipes, which consumers will have to pay for — with a profit for the utilities — for decades to come.
How can we best support young students who are struggling to read in school? In the context of unprecedented disruptions to our educational system, this Abell Report summarizes the research, documents the current landscape of programs, and offers recommendations.
Medical debt can be crushing to families and result in lawsuits as hospitals seek to recover their costs. With support from the Abell Foundation, the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition commissioned a study to understand the impacts of prohibiting Maryland hospitals from filing medical debt below a variety of thresholds.
With support from the Abell Foundation, the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force brought together diverse leaders to confront the civil legal issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This report captures their findings and recommendations.
This analysis of the 2019 American Community Survey reveals the racial and economic underpinnings of the digital divide across the state of Maryland.
Pediatric asthma enacts an unequal burden on Baltimore’s children. This Abell Report documents the prevalence of pediatric asthma in Baltimore and calls for an equity-driven, multimodal, public health approach to addressing it.
Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.
