Lawmaker signals changes could be coming to juvenile justice reform during the 2024 legislative session.
According to a WJLA news report, leaders in the Maryland Senate are considering changes to juvenile justice reform laws as the conversation around juvenile crime continues. The Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, Senator William Smith, will be looking specifically at laws that specify which types of crimes children under the age of thirteen can be charged.
From the article:
"If you're under 13, you can still be arrested for a crime of violence. But other offenses that are not characterized as a crime of violence are also very serious and I think maybe it's time to look at those crimes," said Smith.
Other priorities for Senator Smith include addressing issues with processes and procedures at the State Department of Juvenile services, where youth offenders are intended to receive services and restorative programing.
As covered previously on the Conduit Street blog, the Judiciary Committee in the Maryland House of Delegates has been looking at juvenile crime in Maryland and how new laws may be affecting public safety for residents and accountability for some offenders. This topic will also be covered at length during the 2023 MACo Winter Conference session, "Juvenile Justice Pt. 1: The Local Role." MACo's Winter Conference, "Eye of the Storm," is scheduled for December 6-8, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, MD. More information can be found on our conference website.
Learn more about MACo's Winter Conference:
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