Thursday, March 18, noon
In October 2020, Human Rights for Kids published a State Ratings Report, which evaluated 12 categories of laws and practices that create the basic legal framework for a state’s juvenile criminal system. What it found is that Maryland tied for last place with Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and Wyoming in the way it treats juveniles in the criminal system. The State Ratings Report evaluated four main areas: (1) entrance into the juvenile and criminal justice systems, (2) the treatment of children as adults, (3) conditions of confinement, and (4) release and social reintegration of child offenders. Maryland failed just about every test. If you are scratching your head and saying, “Really? Maryland?” then please join WDC on March 18 from 12-1:30 pm to learn more about Maryland’s abysmal juvenile justice system, and to learn from a distinguished panel of a prosecutor, lawmaker, and advocates what we need to do to change it.
The moderator for this program is Professor Margaret Martin Barry, Director of the Re-Entry Clinic at Washington College of Law, American University, and a member of WDC’s Criminal Justice Reform and Public Safety Advocacy Subcommittee.
Panelists for the program include:
Aisha Braveboy, State’s Attorney, Prince George’s County
Del. Charlotte Crutchfield (D19), Chair of Juvenile Law subcommittee, House Judiciary Committee.
Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth team members:
Eddie Ellis, MoCo resident, formerly incarcerated juvenile, Co-Director of Outreach and Member Services
Preston Shipp, Senior Policy Counsel
Crystal Carpenter, Chief Advocacy and Engagement Manager