Youth Charging Reform Act Takes Effect in Maryland
New law significantly narrows automatic adult charging for Maryland youth and expands transparency around cases involving young people.
Related to: Youth Justice, State Advocacy
[Baltimore, MD] – The Youth Justice Reform Act (YCRA), also known as SB 323, takes effect today, reducing the number of offenses for which 16-and 17-year-olds are automatically charged in adult court. To mark the law taking effect, the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition held a press conference at the Baltimore Juvenile Justice Center to discuss what the changes mean for young people, families and Maryland’s youth justice system.
“I admire the advocates, including the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition, who exhibit an unwavering refusal to give up on children. I admire the children who refuse to give up on themselves. They came back as advocates, credible messengers, faith leaders and community activists, to fight against the automatic charging of children as adults and for the prohibition of the placement of children in adult detention centers prior to a finding of guilt of innocence,” said Delegate Sandy Bartlett, Bill Sponsor and Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “Despite the years of hearing ‘no, not now,’ the advocates pushed forward. They made concessions when they could and held their ground when compromise was out of the question. I am proud to have been part of the village that helped to pass SB323 – YOUTH CHARGING REFORM ACT this year.”
The law also establishes new requirements related to the detention and confinement of young people and expands reporting on youth charged as adults and those housed in adult facilities, creating greater transparency around how these cases are handled.
“I was charged as an adult in my youth. If the protections in this law had been in place then, I could have received treatment for the trauma I was experiencing and been placed in a youth facility where I could have received the appropriate support. Today, through my work in behavioral health, I see how important treatment, support, accountability, and early intervention can be,” said Treveric Speaks, Clinical Support Coordinator at CareHire. “Young people deserve an opportunity to address the circumstances that contribute to their behavior before they fall through the cracks. I believe this law can give many youth that opportunity. No young person should be defined by one mistake or one difficult chapter in their life. With the right support, treatment, and accountability, they can heal, grow, and change the direction of their lives.
“Today marks an important step forward for a safer Maryland. By sending more youth cases to juvenile court, we are ensuring young people get the education, treatment, counseling, and rehabilitation services they need to address the root causes of their behavior and learn from their mistakes,” said State Senator Will Smith, Jr, bill sponsor and chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “This reform also brings Maryland into compliance with federal requirements, including those under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The savings we achieve by reducing the wasteful practice of automatic charging in cases that rarely result in conviction will be reinvested in treatment, prevention, and community-based services. Long-term community safety is achieved by giving our young people the support they need, and reducing the likelihood they will reoffend.”
“The Shriver Center at UMBC is looking forward to the implementation of the Youth Charging Reform Act and supporting the young people who will remain in the youth court system through our Choice Program,” said Eric Ford, Executive Director of Public Service Programs at The Shriver Center for Public Service and Community Engagement. “Keeping youth out of the adult court so that they can receive the appropriate services will reduce recidivism and improve public safety. We are thankful for all of the advocates who pushed for this change for more than a decade and appreciate that the Maryland Legislature made this bold move to align our state with national data informed best practices.”
“An allegation, no matter how serious, does not transform a child into an adult anymore than exceptional intelligence does. Were that the case, our brightest children could run the country, vote, marry, serve on juries and in legislative bodies and avail themselves of all the legal rights and privileges reserved for adults,” said Jill Carter, Former State Senator and sponsor of legislation to end automatic charging. “Only in this one area of law do we hypocritically refuse to recognize the distinctive nature of children as children. No child should be placed in adult court without an individualized determination by a judge that they belong there. This is not a radical concept. It’s common sense. We’ve narrowed automatic adult charging which is progress. But, we cannot rest until we’ve ended it for good.”
The Youth Charging Reform Act was approved by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session and signed into law in May. Its provisions officially take effect today.
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. Learn more at www.mdyouthjustice.org.
About The Sentencing Project
The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice. www.sentencingproject.org
