Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has directed Maryland juvenile justice and public safety agencies to develop a “Safe Summer Strategy” to keep young people out of trouble.
In a directive sent to Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino, Moore wants DJS to collaborate with state police and corrections officials to develop a summer enforcement and intervention plan, to assist high-risk young people.
“Summer is a critical time for our young people,” Moore wrote. Since he took office, Moore says Maryland has seen a 44% decrease in homicides and a 40% drop in non-deadly shootings.
“These results are not by accident,” Moore said. “It is the result of our all-of-the-above approach to public safety.”
The directive comes one day after Moore signed a juvenile justice reform bill that limits the crimes in which teenagers are automatically charged as adults.
Among the summer safety goals, Moore wants the strategy to prioritize prevention and interventions for high risk young people and their families.
In addition, the governor is seeking “expanding education and workforce development programming for young people to create pathways to opportunity and long-term success.”
Moore said he wants to see targeted intervention measures for repeat juvenile offenders that are “proportionate, timely and effective.”
While the state has already been working to stem the growing number of chaotic gatherings of young people, the governor wants the summer strategy to develop “collaborative solutions to address ongoing community concerns like illegal street rallies and ‘teen takeovers,’ and other criminal activity.”
Moore also hopes the task force will identify opportunities for legislative or policy fixes to address gaps in the law that limit the state’s ability to intervene effectively.
In the directive, Moore assures DJS that his office and other agencies “stand ready to provide whatever support DJS needs to move quickly and ensure that it continues providing world-class service to the children of Maryland and their families.”
A status report is due in June.
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