Maryland Juvenile Services Criticized Amid Calls for Leadership Change

The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) and its secretary, Vincent Schiraldi, are facing significant scrutiny following the department’s handling of recent high-profile juvenile crime cases. Among the incidents are the arrests of a 17-year-old on GPS monitoring and a 14-year-old connected to a homicide in Columbia. Additionally, two teenagers were arrested for a September shooting in Rodgers Forge.

Schiraldi addressed these concerns in an interview with 11 News Investigates, stating, “People have a right to feel safe in their home community. My job is to make it safer, and I’ll stay in this job as long as I’m allowed to.” Despite community unrest, Schiraldi cited a 26% reduction in juvenile homicide arrests and a 46% decline in juvenile non-fatal shootings as progress.

Pressure for Schiraldi’s resignation has increased, with the Maryland Senate Republican Caucus and Baltimore City community leaders calling for his removal. They claim his policies have been detrimental to public safety, labeling them as “disastrous.” A letter from the senators pointed to systemic failures in the DJS, further urging Governor Wes Moore to take action.

However, Governor Moore’s response refrained from directly addressing these calls. A statement from the governor’s office highlighted a “commitment to ensure the safety of all Marylanders,” emphasizing significant decreases in juvenile crime. “Maryland has seen a 26% decline in juvenile homicide arrests and a 46% decline in non-fatal shootings of juveniles,” noted Carter Elliott, Moore’s senior press secretary.

The current situation is compounded by recent legislative changes. Earlier this year, Governor Moore signed the Juvenile Law Reform Act, responding to rising youth crimes like carjackings and firearm violations. New regulations set to take effect on November 1 will require DJS to alert prosecutors regarding all felony charges, marking a shift from previous policies.

DJS Secretary Schiraldi’s leadership was scrutinized during a Friday media session, where certain media outlets, including FOX45 News, were excluded from direct questioning. Schiraldi remarked on the rising use of electronic monitoring, indicating no legal requirement mandates its increased application. He maintained support from Governor Moore, stating, “I’m going to stay on this job and work as hard as I can as long as the governor is supportive of the direction we are taking.”

Despite ongoing debates and public dissatisfaction, supporters of the current administration point to substantial funding increases for law enforcement and youth services – a $268 million allocation for community and residential operations – as evidence of their commitment to long-term juvenile justice reform.