Maryland state lawmakers are considering legislation to prohibit charging a child younger than 13 with a crime.
The bill is the product of two years of study, and it’s designed to keep kids away from the court and place them in diversion programs, rather than jail.
The legislation does not include violent crimes, like murder, carjacking and rape.
When a young person breaks the law in Maryland, they are forced into a criminal justice system that many say offers few tools to assess their needs or risk of reoffending. And locking kids up is expensive at $400,000 per child per year, according to the Justice Policy Institute.
A juvenile justice reform measure close to passage in the House aims to change that. Under the bill, children younger than 13 who commit nonviolent misdemeanors would not be charged with a crime. Instead, they would be assessed and provided community-based services.
“We think that if we can stop them from coming in and going too deep in the front end, then we can keep them from graduating to bigger crimes on the back end,” said the bill’s sponsor, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Luke Clippinger, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City.
The legislation also acknowledges racial disparities. According to the Department of Juvenile Services, 96% of children housed at the Baltimore City Detention Center are Black. White, Hispanic and other races combined total 4%.
Republican Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga opposes the bill.
Giving the young thugs a pass!
Lack of action accountability is what has been getting them in trouble in the first place!
Annapaholes listening to the Baltimorons!
“When a young person breaks the law in Maryland, they are forced into a criminal justice system that many say offers few tools to assess their needs or risk of reoffending.” So you let them go and they will continue to reoffend. They tried this in schools and you see how that worked. This state is becoming a joke. Maybe if jail was more of a punishment it would help. Instead they look at it as a country club with their friends.
This is designed to let adult criminals use children to do their business… child exploitation the Washington way
Wow great news for drug dealers! Have kids do the selling and carrying of the dope and they will never get a charge! Can also teach them to shoot good and they can kill off competitors and junkie’s that stiff you! Can even train them to rob banks and gas stations! Hell they can go into neighborhoods and rob houses and steal all they can carry!
So glad I moved away from Salisbury!
“96% of children housed at the Baltimore City Detention Center are Black. White, Hispanic and other races combined total 4%.”
Oh, this means that Law Enforcement needs to focus on only 96% of the offenders. Can’t we just send some of them to the juvenile cages at the Border since they aren’t being used for anything else?
This is what happens when you elect stupid A.A. Libtards!
Actually makes sense….if the young thugs are being detained they’ll miss school which is the key to their most excellent futures. Left to run free they can learn and cultivate traditional values like truancy and playing hooky.
You guessed it: /sarc