Maryland Senate to vote on legislation calling for transparency in Department of Juvenile Services
BALTIMORE - The Maryland Senate is expected to vote on Senate Bill 652, which would call for more transparency in the Department of Juvenile Services.
Senate Bill 652 is also known as the "Department of Juvenile Services Transparency Act of 2024."
If passed, the Department of Juvenile Services would have to report to the General Assembly by Dec. 1 of every year the number of juveniles under DJS supervision involved in shootings, including the age of the child, where they live and a timeline of actions the agency took following the shooting.
"Information and data is key," Senator Cory McCray said. "So, when you get to that granular level of understanding of what's taken place after we have a respective incident in our communities then we have a better understanding of how we should be moving forward."
Senator McCray, from Baltimore, is the sponsor of the bill.
So, far, it's received a lot of support in the Senate.
"I think with a number of the things that's happening with DJS, a number of things that's happening with our juveniles across the state of Maryland, I think that we're looking for a resolution, we're looking for some type of answers," McCray said.
Another high-profile piece of legislation in the General Assembly addressing juvenile crime is the Juvenile Law Reform Bill, which would give DJS the ability to charge children between ages 10 and 12 for certain offenses, including gun possession and auto theft. It focuses on rehabilitation and accountability.
More accountability is something Marylanders told WJZ is needed to prevent the recent rise in juvenile crime.
They're hoping Senate Bill 652 will be passed.
"I think if you measure it, then you can respond to it," said Michael DeLoatch, from Montgomery County. "If you don't measure, then you're just talking about it."
If the Senate passes SB 652 bill, it will be sent over to the Maryland House of Delegates.
