O'Malley backers promote his plan for juvenile justiceO’Malley backers promote his plan for juvenile justice October 18, 2006 Supporters of Martin O’Malley’s campaign for governor held a news conference yesterday to promote his five-point plan to reform Maryland’s troubled juvenile services system. Key elements include building smaller residential centers with better treatment programs, hiring more staff and decentralizing services so different regions can decide what approach works best for them. In detailing O’Malley’s plans for reform, Del. Bobby A. Zirkin and former Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Peter N. Beilenson said such changes are long overdue. Both Democrats acknowledged that Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. inherited a “dysfunctional” juvenile justice system when he took office. But they said he has done little to change it despite promises of reform. “It’s become more dysfunctional over the last four years,” Beilenson said. Zirkin said the administration cut residential programs without creating new ones and has been sending juvenile offenders home without needed rehabilitation services. Edward Hopkins, a spokesman for the Department of Juvenile Services, disputed the criticisms. “Governor Ehrlich did what he said he was going to do,” Hopkins said. “He has made significant strides in reforming the juvenile justice system compared to where it was four years ago.” Zirkin and Beilenson spoke outside the state-run Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, the subject of a scathing report recently by the U.S. Justice Department. The report, based on inspections done a year ago, said youths held there “suffer significant harm and risk of harm” from violence because there isn’t enough staff and behavior management and treatment plans are inadequate. Juvenile services officials dispute those findings. After the news conference yesterday, they took a television news crew on an impromptu tour of the facility to demonstrate that the center was operating in an orderly fashion. |
