Advocates urge Maryland lawmakers to address juvenile crime amid special session

MARYLAND (WBFF) — As Maryland lawmakers gather in Annapolis for a special session focused on redistricting, some Baltimore residents and public safety advocates argue another issue deserves immediate attention: juvenile crime.

This comes after police arrested a 17-year-old and a 22-year-old in an armed robbery in the Inner Harbor.

Baltimore Police said the suspects robbed a man at gunpoint before officers tracked them down and arrested them.

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Police said the teenager will be charged as an adult.

“It would be up to the lawyers to get it reduced or not reduced but transferred down to juvenile court. Then they’ll have a shot at really, you know, preserving the youth’s future because they want a conviction,” attorney Benjamin Herbst said.

It’s just one of dozens of juvenile arrests announced in Baltimore in recent months, involving crimes ranging from armed robbery and carjackings to murder and handgun violations.

The latest arrest comes as lawmakers meet in Annapolis for a special session on congressional redistricting.

“We want you to focus on what’s actually going to impact us, the community members. Redistricting is going to affect who? The politicians that these people are electing,” Retired Sgt. Betsy Smith said.

For many residents, the timing raises questions about whether juvenile crime should be getting the same level of attention.

“There’s almost no accountability for juvenile offenders. Let’s look at Maryland, where you have offenders as young as 13 that are involved in violent carjackings and armed robberies,” Smith said.

In a statement to FOX45 News, the Office of Baltimore City’s State Attorney Ivan Bates said:

We are actively trying to work with legislators on fixing this broken system.”

“It’s hard to disagree, but I mean, broken, I think, is an overstatement, but I definitely think it needs to work just like any aspect of the criminal justice system,” Herbst said.

While lawmakers are expected to remain focused on redistricting during this special session, the broader debate over juvenile justice is expected to continue.