MARYLAND (WBFF) — Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates is raising new concerns about repeat juvenile offenders and the state’s juvenile justice system, arguing that juvenile crime has not improved during the tenure of Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino.
Bates’ concerns come as Baltimore police are asking for the public’s help identifying two suspected juveniles wanted in connection with a robbery on Washington Boulevard on April 1. Police released surveillance images of the two suspects in a post on X over the weekend.
Bates, speaking on WBAL Radio on Monday, criticized the juvenile justice system and pointed to recently passed legislation in the Maryland General Assembly, including the Youth Charging Reform Act, which limits the automatic charging of youth as adults for some crimes. “To me, it was a very rushed bill that wasn’t thought out. But look, it could have been a lot worse,” Bates said…