Maryland’s juvenile cases should begin in juvenile court

In 2020, Human Rights for Kids, a national nonprofit that advocates for juvenile justice reform, labeled Maryland among the worst human rights offenders in the country. Policymakers took the criticism to heart, embarking on a mission to do better. Since then, Maryland has ended mandatory minimums for youth, prohibited children under 13 from being subject to criminal liability for nonviolent offenses and provided juveniles some of the most comprehensive due process protections in the United States. In its 2022 report, Human Rights for Kids called Maryland the “most improved state.”