juvenile detention

After over a decade’s worth of effort, some reductions to the list of crimes that qualify a juvenile to be automatically charged as an adult may finally clear the General Assembly.

The House Judiciary Committee is beginning to weigh if it wants to adopt the Senate’s weakened version of revisions to the list of youth crimes that qualify for automatic charging as an adult.

The bill is a diluted version of Sen. Will Smith’s initial proposal, only striking five of the 33 crimes eligible for juveniles to be automatically charged as adults.

Currently, children aged 14 and older in Maryland can be charged as adults for first-degree murder and rape charges. At 16 or older, the list of quantifiable crimes for automatic charging expands to 33.

A recent report found rat feces, drugs and poor medical care.

The report details rats, broken facilities and staff working mandatory overtime.

Maryland Youth Justice coalition raised broader concerns about the treatment of children in the state's legal system, following a recent HVAC failure.

Unmarked graves near an old detention center from the 19th century are a window into a dark chapter of Maryland history. Lawmakers hope to memorialize the grave sites, and lead a conversation about juvenile justice today.

The amount of cases has lawmakers concerned payouts could impact the budget.

The bill lowers the cap on what the state has to pay out in restitution.