The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) is stepping up its approach to handling youths under electronic monitoring with a set of policy changes aimed at plugging systemic gaps. Started last Thursday, as WMAR2 News reported, these amendments enforce stricter oversight on youngsters charged with new offenses while under surveillance and mandate a community detention officer's presence in court to provide direct updates on the individual's situation.
"We are moving quickly to address the young people who are falling through the cracks of our system," DJS Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino emphasized in a statement, as detailed by WMAR2 News, highlighting the department's rapid response and commitment to rebuilding trust and ensuring community safety. Among the crucial modifications, each youth on electronic monitoring facing detention will stay in custody until their court appearance, and every detention decision will be monitored for uniformity by the DJS Deputy Secretary of Community, creating a direct line of accountability within the department.
Alongside these structural changes, personnel are slated to receive enhanced training and collaborate with trained community partners who assist the youth at the time of their arrest, ensuring a comprehensive support system is in place. This revision comes in the wake of calls for heightened attention to electronic monitoring, particularly as some youngsters may find themselves cycling through the justice system on repeated offences, as FOX Baltimore outlined.
