Chanting “justice now,” dozens of youth advocates gathered outside the Baltimore Youth Detention Center on Monday, demanding action after heating failures left juveniles shivering in their cells.

Holding signs that read “Provide youth with care, not cages,” advocates — including the state’s public defender and union workers — called on state officials to address what they described as chronic neglect inside the facility.

Treveric “Terry” Speaks with Out for Justice said the conditions facing the 63 juveniles housed in the adult jail never should have reached this point.

“If maintenance was done like it’s supposed to, we wouldn’t have to have these conversations,” Speaks said. “When a person becomes incarcerated, they become the least of our society…their well-being isn’t prioritized.”

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said Monday that two compressors failed in the male housing units and gym, but denied that the entire facility lacks a functioning heating system.

Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services spokesperson Keith Martucci said in a statement that industrial-grade electric heaters are being used while staff conduct hourly temperature checks and provide blankets and warm clothing as needed.

He said that educational programming has continued in warmer areas of the building, and that the part needed to complete the repair was expected to arrive Monday through an emergency procurement, with permanent fixes slated to be finished by the end of the week.

Advocates insist the heating problems are a symptom of deeper structural issues; including overcrowding driven by Maryland’s automatic charging laws, which send some youth into the adult system based on the offense alone.

They argued that ending automatic charging would keep more children out of adult facilities, relieve population pressures, and prevent crises like this one.

Del. Caylin Young said the upcoming legislative session offers a chance to confront those long-standing problems.

“Change is afoot in the General Assembly, and I don't want to get ahead of the new leadership that's coming in, but I believe their sensibilities are more aligned with finding appropriate solutions to these problems. We have a responsibility to protect all children no matter where they are,” Young said.