Maryland Passes Youth Charging Reform Act
Landmark reform marks a major step forward for a state long defined by high rates of youth charged as adults.
Related to: Youth Justice, State Advocacy
[Washington, D.C.] — Today, Governor Wes Moore signed the Youth Charging Reform Act, legislation that curbs but does not end the harmful practice of automatically charging youth as adults by narrowing the list of charges that require 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to begin their cases in adult court. Olivia Naugle, Youth Justice Campaign Strategist at The Sentencing Project, released the following statement:
“For too long, Maryland has stood apart for the wrong reasons. Save for Alabama, no other state sends more young people to adult court, per capita, based solely on the initial charge filed by a prosecutor. In Maryland, children as young as 14 years-old can still be automatically charged as if they are adults– an approach that falls hardest on Black youth who made up 80% of those charged in adult court. Decades of research—as well as the experiences of youth and their families—have made abundantly clear: children are not adults, and our justice system must reflect young people’s capacity for growth, accountability, and change.
“The Youth Charging Reform Act represents an important shift away from punitive policies that fail to improve public safety and inflict lasting harm on young people. This victory is the result of fourteen years of sustained advocacy, partnership, and leadership from community organizations, youth leaders, families, and lawmakers committed to building a more fair and effective system, despite sensationalized and false narratives that seek to criminalize our children. Today, Maryland moves to recognize that safer communities are built by investing in young people—not by burdening them with lifelong consequences for adolescent errors in judgment.
“While this progress is meaningful, it is not the finish line. Even after implementation, Maryland will remain among the top five states automatically charging youth as if they were adults per capita. Further reforms are still needed to ensure that all young people receive the care, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive. Today’s signing strengthens the foundation for the work ahead—to ensure every young person’s case begins in a fully reimagined youth justice system rooted in dignity, equity, and the belief that every young person deserves a chance to shape their future.”
