Maryland governor unveils ARC initiative to reform juvenile justice system, tackle youth crime surge
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore unveils new juvenile crime bills
Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined with General Assembly leaders in Annapolis Wednesday to announce a new series of proposed laws he says will fix long-standing problems in the state’s juvenile justice system, and cut down on crime by young people. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald has the story.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined with General Assembly leaders in Annapolis Wednesday to announce a new series of proposed laws he says will fix long-standing problems in the state’s juvenile justice system, and cut down on crime by young people.
It’s called ARC, which stands for accountability, rehabilitation, and collaboration.
State leaders say the changes beef up the state’s ability to prosecute young people who commit violent crimes. It would expand Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services. It would also make it easier for police to know the full scope of a juvenile’s criminal history. The governor says it’s overdue.
"We need accountability when someone repeatedly violates the law. Yes, but we also need accountability for the adults and the systems responsible for preventing and responding to those situations," Governor Moore said.
Maryland governor Wes Moore proposes groundbreaking gun violence and juvenile justice reforms
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore outlined three measures on Tuesday that he is prioritizing to improve public safety, including a new statewide center to help prevent gun violence.
State officials report Maryland has seen a 220% spike in youth handgun crimes and a 63% rise in car thefts.
"We need to rethink how cases are processed for young people when there is a firearm involved," Moore said. "We need to increase probation when kids need more time to benefit from rehabilitation. We need to respond to situations where a very young person takes someone’s life regardless of age."
Maryland governor Wes Moore proposes groundbreaking gun violence and juvenile justice reforms
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore outlined three measures on Tuesday that he is prioritizing to improve public safety, including a new statewide center to help prevent gun violence. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald has the latest details.
Maryland's Republican leaders say the spike was made worse by reforms Democrats pushed through two years ago, which the GOP says weakened juvenile justice enforcement.
"Democrats are stepping up to fix a problem they created. When they passed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act they took away all of the then punishments for anyone under 13 who committed a crime other than murder," Delegate Kathy Szeliga (R-Harford County) said.