MARYLAND (WBFF) — Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates is raising new concerns about repeat juvenile offenders and the state’s juvenile justice system, arguing that juvenile crime has not improved during the tenure of Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino.
Bates’ concerns come as Baltimore police are asking for the public’s help identifying two suspected juveniles wanted in connection with a robbery on Washington Boulevard on April 1. Police released surveillance images of the two suspects in a post on X over the weekend.
Bates, speaking on WBAL Radio on Monday, criticized the juvenile justice system and pointed to recently passed legislation in the Maryland General Assembly, including the Youth Charging Reform Act, which limits the automatic charging of youth as adults for some crimes. “To me, it was a very rushed bill that wasn’t thought out. But look, it could have been a lot worse,” Bates said.
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Bates also said repeat juvenile offenders are a major issue, including young people already under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services. He raised concerns about youths on ankle monitors who continue to commit crimes, including some who cut off the devices.
“(Police) get the same kids over and over and over again,” Bates said. “It makes my job harder, it makes the police officer’s job harder.”
Bates said he likes Tolentino, but argued the agency still faces deeper issues. “I really like Secretary Betsy Tolentino, her heart’s in the right place, very smart,” Bates said. “However, the problems are still there, same people working the same systems doing the same things. There are systemic problems in DJS.”
The criticism comes days after Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley voiced similar frustration about ankle monitoring during a radio appearance on April 8. “Ankle monitoring, I don’t like it all because they either just cut them off. It’s jewelry to them. It’s not it’s not even a deterrent. It’s jewelry to them to a large extent yes, and they cut them off. And we keep seeing the same kids over and over again,” Worley said.
FOX45 News reached out to DJS for comment on Bates’ remarks about Tolentino and the system. A spokesman responded that the secretary had already addressed the issue.
Tolentino addressed concerns about electronic monitoring in an interview with Fox45 News on April 9, pointing to agency data. “Look, one of the things I really start out by looking at when I hear concerns is where are we with the data? And when we’re talking about electronic monitoring and community detention, 90% of the young people who are involved in that program do not re-offend, do not get re-arrested and show up for court,” Tolentino said.
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Asked how she responds when law enforcement leaders say DJS is “dropping the ball,” Tolentino said, “Look, I listened to the interview and that’s not what I heard. I heard some concerns and we’re very much willing to have those conversations with our partners, which we meet weekly with the commissioner and his team.”
Tolentino has said DJS has improved since she took office, first as acting secretary in June last year, before being officially confirmed two months ago.
Bates said perspectives differ on whether progress is being made. “At the end of the day, it’s glass half full, the glass half empty, depends on where you are. From our standpoint, it’s half empty. But you know what, the prosecutors will continue to do our jobs,” he said.
Bates also said residents who disagree with how lawmakers are handling the issue can vote them out in the upcoming elections in November, with the primaries happening in June. Bates is running unopposed for a second term.
Follow FOX45 reporter Keith Daniels on X and Facebook. Send tips to Kdaniels@sbgtv.com.
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