New Report Finds Charging Youth as Adults Is Ineffective

A new coalition, the Just Kids Partnership—comprised of the Public Justice Center, Community Law in Action, and United Parents of Incarcerated Children and Youth—has released a new report, Just Kids: Baltimore’s Youth in the Adult Criminal Justice System. The report finds that, in Baltimore, most criminal cases of youth who were automatically charged as adults were either dismissed outright or sent to the juvenile justice system when considered on their individual merits.

Nationally, youth who remain in the adult criminal justice system are more likely to be hardened by the experience and re-offend than those who receive rehabilitative services in the juvenile justice system. The report is supported by the Open Society Institute–Baltimore through funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Morton K. & Jane Blaustein Foundation.

As Maryland officials consider spending more than $100 million to build a new jail for Baltimore youth awaiting trial on adult charges, this collaboration of organizations examined the effectiveness of state laws and policies regarding automatically charging youth as adults for certain crimes and found the results do not match the intentions.

To read the full report and for additional information, visit www.justkidsmaryland.org.