ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Prospects improved Monday for more proposed reforms to Maryland’s troubled juvenile justice system after competing versions of legislation survived to be considered by both the House of Delegates and the Senate. The crossover of the bills between the two legislative bodies increases the chance that some version of reforms will become law before the Maryland General Assembly adjourns on April 8.
The focus has intensified on the state's Department of Juvenile Services after revelations in the case of 16-year-old Kaden Holland, known as "Baby K."
Holland was a teen offender who skipped juvenile probation for carrying a gun in Prince George’s County with no consequences before escalating to attempting to kill a student on a school bus and allegedly murdering a woman in D.C. at the age of 15. Critics say better oversight of Holland might have prevented his escalation.
"Kids are falling through the cracks, and that's what we're trying to prevent," said Montgomery County Sen. Will Smith, the chairman of the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Both versions of reform legislation aim to create a commission with significant subpoena powers over juvenile authorities to force information out into the open.
Holland was on track to be tried as an adult when hearings in the case exposed that Holland had been on juvenile probation for gun possession, but skipped all of it, and was released from probation without any consequences.
One reform now under consideration would allow the juvenile system to automatically extend probation to do a better job of supervising and holding young offenders like Holland accountable.
More controversial are reforms that could expose children as young as 10 to charges from DJS for serious felonies, such as gun possession and car theft; currently the cut off is age 13.
Civil rights attorney Malcolm Ruff, a legislator from Baltimore, fears criminalizing younger children goes too far.
"We need to make sure we're not criminalizing fourth, fifth and sixth grade children for making a mistake that is more than likely the fault of a grown person," Ruff said.
There’s pressure on Gov. Wes Moore from juvenile advocates to veto any such legislation.
Moore has not said if he’ll sign legislation until he sees the final version worked out between the House of Delegates and Senate.
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.