UMD Smith School Partners with Howard County Prosecutors to Boost…

Event summary

University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business partners with Howard County State's Attorney's Office and Justice for Fraud Victims, Inc. to provide no-cost forensic accounting expertise for financial crime cases.
Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 24, 2026, expands access to specialized forensic accounting resources for complex financial crime investigations.
UMD students gain hands-on experience in financial investigations under the supervision of credentialed forensic accounting professionals.
JFV will maintain confidentiality and comply with legal restrictions while providing objective financial evidence examination.

The big picture

This partnership addresses a critical gap in prosecutorial resources for financial crime cases, where specialized forensic accounting expertise is often scarce and costly. By leveraging academic institutions and nonprofit organizations, law enforcement agencies can enhance their investigative capabilities without significant budget increases. The collaboration also highlights the growing trend of public-private partnerships in addressing complex legal and financial challenges.

What we're watching

Case Volume Growth: How the pace of case referrals will affect the partnership's scalability and resource allocation.
Student Impact: Whether the hands-on experience will enhance UMD Smith students' career prospects in financial investigations.
Prosecutorial Effectiveness: The extent to which forensic accounting expertise will improve conviction rates in complex financial crime cases.