In the last two months, more than 600 juvenile cases have been referred for formal processing to state’s attorney’s offices throughout Maryland.
Since Monday, FOX45 News has been asking the Department of Juvenile Services for data regarding how many young people have been referred for charges since the start of the juvenile justice law changes on Nov. 1. Data obtained by FOX45 News shows since Oct. 1 — which is when DJS launched its own new policy regarding ankle monitors — there have been 637 cases referred to top prosecutor’s offices.
Motor vehicle theft is driving that number up the most; there have been 108 juvenile cases referred for processing since the start of October. Robbery comes in at the second-most common offense, with 104 cases in the same time frame, followed by 60 second-degree assault and battery cases, and 48 cases each for first degree assault and second-degree burglaries.
There have been 17 armed carjacking cases referred for processing, six unarmed carjacking cases, eight drug-related cases, and 18 probation violation related cases.
In October, DJS announced it would start requiring ankle monitors to be placed on young people when they are accused of committing a violent felony but not detained. Since then, DJS said there have been 49 juveniles placed on some form of electronic monitoring directly related to the policy change.
“Ninety percent of those DJS overnight electronic monitoring or detention decisions related to the policy change have either been continued by the courts the next day, or the courts ordered a less restrictive decision, showing these decisions are in line with court expectations,” said Michael Sharp, a DJS spokesperson.
As of Dec. 2, 125 juveniles statewide are on GPS ankle monitoring and other 121 young people on community detention electronic monitoring, according to Sharp.
FOX45 News previously reported that DJS used the two different types of ankle monitors, despite the agency not previously indicating there was a difference.
When asked why the agency has never made it clear there are different types of ankle monitors, DJS Deputy Secretary for Community Services Lisa Garry previously said it was not the intention of the department to mislead the public or partners.
“I think we can do a much better job educating about who the kids are on the various levels of supervision, why they are on those levels of supervision, and what we do in response to providing supervision,” Garry told FOX45 News. “We haven’t really taught the public as well as I wish we could. We are working on that now.”
On Monday, FOX45 News obtained data from the Baltimore Police Department showing that since Nov. 1, 70 juveniles had been arrested for various crimes, including auto theft, carjacking, robbery, and burglary. However, DJS has yet to indicate where those cases stand, including whether any of the 70 young people arrested were released, detained, or placed on ankle monitors.
During a previous interview with FOX45 News, DJS Secretary Vincent Schiraldi touted the effectiveness of ankle monitors, noting there is a 94.6% success rate, according to the latest statistics. He said often times, if young people are detained, they “tend to get more hardened.”
However, the top leader of juvenile services said there has been a notable increase in detention of young people to prove there isn’t a “catch and release” situation unfolding.
The second quarter 2024 Juvenile Justice Monitoring Report recently revealed a 59.8% increase in the average daily youth population in the state’s juvenile detention facilities compared to the period before Schiraldi assumed leadership of DJS in 2022.
Secretary Schiraldi said he’s talking to the media to better explain to the community how the process works at DJS and wants the people of Maryland to know that he’s trying to improve public safety.
“We’re trying to do it by holding kids accountable and by turning their lives around and rehabilitating them,” he said. “Most often that’s working well.”
When asked what accountability looks like to him, Secretary Schiraldi said there are various levels of accountability; if a juvenile gets placed on home monitoring, that’s a form of accountability; if a juvenile is detained, that’s also a form of accountability, he explained.
To the people who argue there isn’t enough accountability within DJS, Secretary Schiraldi reiterated his commitment to improving outcomes, but maintained his belief that’s what happening with most juvenile offenders now, is a step in the right direction.
“I’ve been victimized by violent crime. I’ve been victimized by sexual crime, and I’ve been victimized by property crime, and I absolutely empathize with people who have been the victims of crime and their family,” Secretary Schiraldi said. “That’s why I work every day to help reduce crime and improve public safety.
Have a news tip? Contact Mikenzie Frost at [email protected].
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