Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services, long troubled by systemic issues, is now facing some of its most serious allegations yet.
Expired and undercooked food, filthy facilities, roach and mice infested bedrooms, and a lack of basic hygiene essentials, such as deodorant, toothbrushes, shoes and clean clothes – these are just some of the unsafe, unsanitary, and at times inhumane conditions youth in state custody are living in, according to a 49-page report by the state’s Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit (JJMU).
Last year, Lawmakers signed legislation which transferred the JJMU to an independent agency in an effort to boost transparency and strengthen oversight…