Latest news with #DepartmentofJuvenileServices
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Schiraldi out at Department of Juvenile Services, Gov. Wes Moore says
A new acting secretary will take over Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services, replacing the embattled Vincent Schiraldi, Gov. Wes Moore said in a news release late Monday. Betsy Fox Tolentino will assume the post beginning Wednesday, according to the release from the governor's office. Schiraldi had served as secretary of the department since 2023. 'We knew when we took office that the Department of Juveniles Services was one of the most troubled in all of State government. We need to continue to move fast and diligently in order to turn it around,' Moore said in a statement Monday. Tolentino comes to the government from the nonprofit The Roca Impact Institute, where she worked as the managing director of juvenile and young adult justice initiatives. She previously served the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services' Deputy Secretary of Community Operations, the statement said. 'I am thankful for Secretary Schiraldi's service to Maryland while leading an organization that shapes the lives of our young people who need support. I wish him well in his next endeavors,' said Senate President Bill Ferguson in the release from the governor's office. Schiraldi, chosen by Moore to helm an understaffed and financially mismanaged agency as firearm possession and car theft charges among Maryland youth increased, was heralded by many juvenile justice advocates as an expert in his field and an exciting pick to head the department responsible for tamping down youth crime. But his rehabilitative philosophy rattled Republican lawmakers, law enforcement, state prosecutors and members of the public who believe the state's juvenile justice system lacks oversight and accountability for children who commit crimes. Before coming to Maryland, Schiraldi founded the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco and the Washington-based Justice Policy Institute, which focuses on reducing the use of incarceration in the U.S. He then served as director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services in Washington, D.C., for five years before taking a post in New York City. 'Vinny Schiraldi brought decades of experience and innovative thinking to the task of running the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services,' Moore said in the statement. Schiraldi contended that he inherited a department riddled with problems when he was appointed secretary by Moore at the beginning of his term. According to Schiraldi, programs and services for kids in need atrophied under the previous administration after the agency returned nearly $10 million of its annual budget for the better part of a decade. When lawmakers expressed dismay that reform wasn't happening quickly enough, Schiraldi pleaded for patience. 'This is an oil tanker, not a speed boat,' Schiraldi said of the Department of Juvenile Services. Maryland's senate Republicans applauded the shake-up Monday, saying Schiraldi's outsting was 'long overdue.' 'He presided over widespread failures: violent juveniles released with no real supervision, repeated contract mismanagement, dangerous missteps in ankle monitoring, and frontline staff left to fend for themselves,' said Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey in a statement. 'But just as damaging was his refusal to work with anyone. Law enforcement, state's attorneys, local leaders, legislators all lost confidence in his leadership.' Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@ 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Baltimore reports historic drop in homicide rates, with April hitting all-time low
Baltimore recorded the lowest number of monthly homicides in history this April, according to Mayor Brandon Scott. The city reported five homicide cases in April 2025. The historic drop comes as the city continues to see dramatic decreases in violent crime. According to the mayor, homicides are down 31.6% and nonfatal shootings are down 27% compared to May 2024. Since 2020, homicides have dropped by 40% and nonfatal shootings declined by 43%, according to data from the mayor's office. Over the past year, crime rates have continued to drop across all categories, including robberies, carjackings and arson. "This is progress, but we aren't stopping to celebrate," Scott said. "Five homicides in April is still five too many — and we will continue to use all tools at our disposal to prevent violence and save lives. Baltimore deserves nothing less." Maryland leaders react to Baltimore's drop in crime Maryland leaders took to social media to share their reactions to Baltimore's historic dip in crime. "Baltimore has seen one of the most significant drops in violent crime in the country," Gov. Wes Moore said in a post. "We have more work to do, but the data is clear: Our approach to improving public safety is working." Rep. Kweisi Mfume said he would continue to push for federal resources to assist in the crime prevention effort. Mfume's continued push comes as Mayor Scott said the Trump administration's proposed cuts to federal public safety grants could stifle the city's progress in decreasing crime. The mayor called on the administration to reverse about $200 million in funding cuts that he said support law enforcement, victims of crimes and community partners. Addressing juvenile crime in Baltimore With crime trends on the decline, city leaders have highlighted investments to reduce juvenile crime. According to WJZ's gun violence tracker, instances of juveniles becoming victims of gun violence were down 22% in Baltimore City in 2024. However, juvenile arrests in the city rose by 146% in 2024, according to State's Attorney Ivan Bates. And a report from Maryland's Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit revealed that the number of minors in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services increased in 2024. In an effort to deter juvenile crime, Mayor Scott unveiled his Summer Youth Engagement Strategy. The initiative activates a non-traditional curfew and a lineup of programs for young people in safe environments during the summer. According to the mayor's office, the strategy has helped reduce youth violence and victimization over the past two summers. After 16 teens were charged for a string of violent crimes in late April, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said, "It is incredibly frustrating to see young people involved in violent crimes across our city." "We cannot arrest our way out of this problem," Worley added. "We need accountability, early intervention, and real support for our youth to break this cycle and build a safer future for Baltimore."
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
85 new child sex abuse suits filed against Maryland juvenile detention system, firm says
BALTIMORE — Dozens more child sex abuse claims were filed against the state Thursday, according to a law firm, adding to the thousands of lawsuits alleging misconduct in Maryland's juvenile detention facilities. In a statement posted online, the New York-based firm Levy Konigsberg said with the 85 complaints initiated last week, their organization has put forward more than 650 cases against the state Department of Juvenile Services alone. The accusations, they said, span decades, from the 1970s through 2018. 'It is both appalling and disappointing to our clients that the State of Maryland has refused to take any responsibility for this horrific sexual abuse,' Levy Konigsberg partner Jerome Block said in a statement. Monday's lawsuits were filed during a five-week legal crunch before newly approved caps on child sex abuse claims take effect in Maryland. The caps, proposed in response to a $3.3 billion deficit in the state's budget, will cut the compensation possible for victims by more than half. Starting June 1, damages on claims against the state will max out at $400,000, dropping from $890,000. And claims against private institutions will hit a $700,000 ceiling, as opposed to $1.15 million. The deadline has forced many lawyers and firms to question whether they'll be able to take on similar claims in the future. Several have said between the cost to investigate and the mandated reduction in their fees, they cannot. Others also worry that the strain of a civil suit, compared to smaller compensation, will discourage victims from coming forward. 'Instead of supporting survivors, the State has callously attempted to revoke vested rights provided by the Maryland Child Victims Act,' Konigsberg said. 'These survivors will not be ignored, they will not be silenced, and they will not allow unconstitutional tort reform efforts stop them from obtaining full justice and accountability.' The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services was not immediately available for comment Monday. _____
CBS News
11-02-2025
- CBS News
16-year-old dead after shooting inside Annapolis home, police say
ANNAPOLIS -- A 16-year-old was killed in a shooting inside an Annapolis home on Saturday, Feb. 8, according to police. Officers said they responded to the 100 block of Holeclaw Street around 8 p.m. for the reported shooting, where they found the teen boy suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene, officers said. Man shot on soccer field Saturday's shooting came days after an 18-year-old man was shot by a relative on a soccer field in Annapolis in an unrelated incident. Police said the shooting occurred on Feb. 4 at Wiley Bates Heritage Park which is located behind a senior center and near The Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis. The 18-year-old man was found suffering from a gunshot wound to his head and taken to a shock trauma center to be treated for his injuries. Police said at the time of the shooting there were about 30 people, including teens, playing soccer on the field. "One witness said they heard a loud pop and saw people scattering, and that's when the victim was discovered," Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson said. On Monday, officers said a minor was arrested for shooting the 18-year-old who is a relative. "Sad that, once again, kids have access to guns, sad that it happened at a place that is publicly accessible, sad that people have to deal with disagreements using violence," Annapolis resident Josh Falk said. Crime in Annapolis So far in 2025, there have been at least four victims of gun violence in Annapolis, according to data from the police department. One of those includes a 16-year-old boy who was injured in a shooting on Jan. 24 and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. The city reported 30 instances of gun violence in 2024, including nine shootings and three homicides. Four of those reported shootings left minors injured, according to police data. In 2023, one juvenile was killed in a shooting. In four instances, minors were victims of gun violence in contact shootings, data shows. Maryland has cracked down on juvenile crime in recent years. In 2024, the Juvenile Reform Act went into effect, making it possible for children between the ages of 10 and 12 to be charged with certain offenses like gun possession. The law also allows the state's attorney's office to review cases against minors who are under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services.
