Worried by spikes in youth crime, Maryland lawmakers close in on new fixes

Almost two years after passing landmark youth justice reform, Maryland lawmakers are scrutinizing its impact on young offenders – and questioning whether they’ve done enough to make things better. The 2022 reforms were meant to help more young offenders avoid incarceration and get on the path to rehabilitation. But with spikes in auto thefts, carjackings and handgun violations by youth around the state, lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are thinking about refining and updating the reforms this year.