- The Washington Times - Monday, October 21, 2024

Teenage boys linked to deadly shootings and violent attacks in Maryland have spurred calls for the ouster of the state’s top juvenile justice official.

State Republicans sent their second letter this month on Friday to Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, calling for the removal of Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi, citing what they called “disastrous philosophies and policies” that are “degrading public safety across Maryland.”

The Republicans’ letter followed a separate appeal last week from a dozen Baltimore civic associations and residents who claimed Mr. Schiraldil’s procedures “harm society.”  

“Secretary Schiraldi has a history of not considering Public Safety in his decisions and these outrageous incidents will surely happen again and again because through his DJS policy and practices, juveniles who commit violent crimes and pose a significant public safety risk are not being detained or effectively supervised,” the letter from the Baltimore civic associations and private residents said.

Mr. Schiraldi has come under fire after teenage suspects were tied to fatal shootings and brutal assaults in Baltimore and its surrounding suburbs, including a fatal Howard County shooting earlier this month in which 17-year-old Tracee Octavious Parker — who was already on GPS monitoring over an attempted murder charge in 2023 — has been charged in the killing.

The 17-year-old was taken into custody at his high school. Authorities found a loaded, illegally modified gun in his backpack when he was arrested.

In a similar case a few weeks earlier, a 15-year-old boy was quietly released following his arrest in the brutal caught-on-camera assault and robbery of an elderly man in Baltimore’s Butchers Hill neighborhood.

The video of the Sept. 26 attack shows a group of five teens knockout the 66-year-old victim and then stomp on his head as they steal his belongings.

Baltimore police arrested 18-year-old Montaz Bailey and the 15-year-old in connection with the crime, but only Mr. Bailey received an attempted murder charge at the time.

The 15-year-old was initially released to a guardian, but taken back into custody a day later and also charged with attempted murder. His identity hasn’t been shared by authorities, but police said both the teens have prior arrests.

“Let me be explicitly clear: if you or your companions decide to attack, stomp on, or slam someone’s head in Baltimore, then my office will handle it with the seriousness it deserves,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said when announcing the boy’s Oct. 1 rearrest.

The DJS’s decision to release the boy enraged locals, and the state agency responded by hastily changing its policy on detaining juveniles accused of violent felonies.

Now first-time arrestees will be placed on electronic monitoring before their initial court appearance, and two-time arrestees will be kept behind bars.

Mr. Schiraldi tried to ward off the criticism during a Friday media event by saying he’s never going to dismiss people who feel unsafe in their neighborhoods.

He also mentioned that Mr. Moore has been “extremely supportive” of his agency and helped the DJS secure an extra $17 million in funding for the department’s programs.

“I’m going to stay on this job and work as hard as I can as long as the governor is supportive of the direction we are taking. The governor has been very supporting of the direction we’re taking,” Mr. Schiraldi said last week. “You’re never going to be 100% successful with a group of troubled young people or troubled adults.”

Mr. Moore said in a statement to WBAL-TV that the state has seen a 20% increase in youth being held in custody since he assumed office in January 2023.

The statement also said there has been a 26% drop in juvenile homicide arrests and a 46% drop in non-fatal shootings of juveniles in that same period.

Next month, a new state law will take effect requiring DJS to share all the felony offenses a juvenile suspect is facing with their local prosecutor’s office.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.

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