BALTIMORE, MD (WBFF) — A youth diversion program once touted as an alternative to the formal justice system in Baltimore’s Western District is now under scrutiny amid an inspector general investigation that has uncovered allegedly fraudulent invoices and raised questions about oversight, data collection, and access to juvenile records.
The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) piloted the SideStep youth diversion program between January 2022 and 2024 in the city’s Western District. MONSE administered the program with the Baltimore City Police Department and the Department of Juvenile Services.
According to the initial program announcement, SideStep provided youth 17 or younger with an alternative to the formal justice system and assistance from various service providers, also known as community-based organizations, to improve their lives and help them reach their potential. Youth who encountered BPD were eligible if they were first-time offenders, had no active warrants and were charged with qualifying Category 2 offenses: shoplifting, larceny, CDS possession, destruction of property, misdemeanor assault, and unauthorized use…