The Maryland Youth Justice’s Coalitions Statement on the Senate Passage of the Youth Charging Reform Act
Maryland bill limits practice of automatically charging youth as adults in some cases.
Related to: Youth Justice, State Advocacy
[Annapolis, MD] – Alice Wilkerson, Steering Committee Member of the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition released the following statement:
“Last week, the Maryland Senate took a critical step in advancing youth justice and sound public policy, as the first chamber in 14 years to pass the Youth Charging Reform Act (Senate Bill 323) limiting the harmful practice of automatically charging youth as adults. Public safety and protecting children go hand in hand. Starting cases in the right court allows for faster accountability and interventions that strengthen community safety.
“In 2025 alone, Maryland charged more than 1,000 youth as adults, most of whom were subject to automatic charging based solely on the arrest offense. In 55% of cases, those youth were later transferred to juvenile court after judicial review, showing how often automatic charging overrides individualized decision‑making from the start. Between 2009 and 2024, 80% of Maryland youth charged as adults were Black.
“The Youth Charging Reform Act narrows the list of offenses that require 16- and 17‑year‑olds to begin their cases in adult court. The YCR Act does not stop teenagers from being tried in adult court altogether—it simply ensures that, for some charges, their cases start in juvenile court instead of automatically being placed in the adult system.
“Our work to ensure Maryland’s justice system is fair and responsive continues. While this bill doesn’t address all of our concerns, it is a step in the right direction, and we are committed to working with lawmakers until all cases involving youth start in juvenile court.”
About The Maryland Youth Justice Coalition
The Maryland Youth Justice Coalition is a diverse array of organizations dedicated to preventing children and adolescents from involvement with the legal system, upholding the highest standards of care when youth enter the legal system, and ensuring a platform for system-involved youth and their families to be heard. For more information visit: https://www.mdyouthjustice.org/
