Baltimore is considering a new way to clear a backlog of 42,000 arrest warrants.

The program, Safe Surrender, encourages people wanted for nonviolent crimes to turn themselves in, sometimes in a church, and have their warrants cleared on the spot. They meet with defense attorneys, see a prosecuter and face a judge -- one stop shopping.

Police, rightly so, concentrate on hunting down people wanted for violent offenses, and that keeps them plenty busy. Those wanted on traffic offenses, misdemeanors and even nonviolent felonies often don't get caught until they do something else wrong. Then, and usually only then, do cops find the warrant. That's not a very efficient way of getting bad guys off the street.

Authorities have used Safe Surrender, or variations of the program, in New Jersey, Washington and Pennslyvania. Here are some stats from two initiatives in Camden, N.J.:

A total 2,245 fugitives surrendered; only 10 had to go to jail immediately and 296 had to get future court dates. The rest of the cases were resolved on the spot. In fact, 143 people surrendered but cops couldn't find the warrants.

Here is a news release after one of the iniatives in New Jersey: