The Maryland Senate took a step forward in promoting transparency around the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) by voting on the Department of Juvenile Services Transparency Act of 2024. The bill, which faced little opposition in the Judicial Proceedings Committee, aims to shed light on how DJS handles cases involving youth involved in violent crimes.

Senator Will Smith, chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, emphasized the significance of the bill, stating, “We often have conversations this session about the multi-pronged approach to how we deal with juvenile justice, and this bill is a critical part of that.”

Sponsored by Senator Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City), the legislation requires DJS to produce an annual report detailing its response to incidents where juveniles under its supervision are involved in shootings or other violent crimes. The report would provide insights into the agency’s after-action response plan and the frequency of such incidents.

“When our young scholars are engaged or involved in something, it’s our responsibility as adults to make sure that we are thinking about what is the after-action, how are we wrapping our arms around these young scholars, and how are we making sure they have the tools they need to move forward,” Senator McCray said after the Senate vote.

Senator McCray revealed that he previously had a collaborative relationship with the former DJS secretary, where they would discuss incidents involving juveniles and the agency’s response. However, this communication broke down in the summer of 2023 when he was unable to reach out to the current DJS Secretary, Vincent Schiraldi, following a shooting involving juveniles.

Since introducing the legislation, Senator McCray noted that the relationship with Secretary Schiraldi has improved, and they now communicate regularly. “When he is an agency head, it’s important that we’re having the conversation; if we see things that are out of place, they are able to respond quickly and say here’s why the decision was made,” McCray explained, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.

If enacted, the bill would require DJS to submit the annual report by December 1 to the General Assembly and the juvenile crime commission. The proposal is expected to be voted out of the Senate by the end of the week.