WASHINGTON — D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced new proposed legislation aimed at addressing youth crime in the District. The new bill focuses on the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS).
On Tuesday, Schwalb introduced the Recidivism Reduction, Oversight and Accountability for DYRS Act of 2024 — or ROAD Act. It focuses on back-end juvenile justice system reforms aimed at making sure young people don't re-offend.
Schwalb's office says there are several ways the ROAD Act aims to hold DYRS accountable for better outcomes, which promotes public safety overall.
"Recently we have seen a disturbing trend. More and more young people are committing violent offenses," Schwalb told reporters during a morning press conference Tuesday.
D.C.'s top lawyer says the agency tasked with detaining and rehabilitating youth charged with certain crimes is not following through with their job. Under D.C. law, DYRS is required to provide committed youth with a complete treatment plan within 90 days, but the attorney general says the agency is failing to do that.
"Almost every single one of the kids committed to DYRS care gets arrested again. That is not acceptable," Schwalb added.
Under his proposed bill, DYRS would reform its supervision and intervention practices by guaranteeing committed youth a treatment plan within 30 days. Schwalb said data shows developing those plans is taking too long, and leading to young people not getting the help they need.
The ROAD Act also strengthens the court's authority to step in and intervene when it becomes clear that DYRS is not providing appropriate services and placement for youth in its care.
The legislation also mandates permanent independent oversight of DYRS. Schwalb says this will increase accountability and transparency.
Schwalb said the goal of the proposed legislation is to get DYRS back on track as more and more young people are committing violent offenses at younger ages.
"While it is a small group of young people who are engaged in criminal behavior, that small group is causing a disproportionate amount of harm," Schwalb said.
The attorney general said his office has been charging more youth cases at a higher rate since last year. He said the key is that young people face "swift and certain consequences."
"Effective, smart intervention now will reduce crime and improve public safety in the short- and long-term future," he said.
Schwalb said that the responsibility of providing consequences lies with DYRS. Schwalb said the department currently does not offer enough transparency and accountability.
The attorney general cited a 2022 study released by Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) that found 92.7% of kids committed to DYRS care are subsequently re-arrested, and nearly 50% are convicted of a different offense.
"These recidivism rates are not acceptable," he said.
Schwalb said the proposed legislation is not about pointing fingers, but it is designed to make sure the department does a better job making sure kids in the criminal justice system do not re-offend.
In a statement, the D.C. Council Chair for the Committee on Public Safety and Justice, Brooke Pinto said cited the same CJCC study and added, "clearly, efforts to provide comprehensive, individualized, and robust follow-up supports to facilitate rehabilitation are failing."
Pinto says she appreciated Schwalb's legislation and is willing to work with him and the Mayor, the Courts, DYRS Director Abed, and Councilmember Trayon White to drive a reform forward.
"The outcomes for our youth are critical to the District’s goals to improve safety, and we must provide better supports and opportunities for rehabilitation to ensure that justice-involved youth have what they need to safely thrive in our communities when they come home," Pinto added.
DYRS and Bowser’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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