Announcement included the release of a 99-page Juvenile Justice Report published by the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City
Baltimore, Md. (February 5, 2026) – Today, Baltimore City State’s Attorney and President of the Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association (MSAA), Ivan J. Bates, convened with his fellow prosecutors from across the state, including Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy to announce the group’s legislative agenda. State’s Attorney Bates also released a comprehensive report examining the current state of Maryland’s juvenile justice system, in advance of his upcoming testimony before the Maryland General Assembly on proposed legislation that would eliminate automatic charging of juveniles as adults for certain serious offenses.
The report was prepared to inform lawmakers about the real-world operational challenges facing the juvenile system and to explain why MSAA and the State’s Attorney’s Office oppose the proposed bill. Based on extensive case data and firsthand prosecutorial experience, the report concludes that Maryland’s juvenile justice system is already overburdened, under-resourced, and unable to manage its existing caseload effectively—let alone absorb a significant influx of additional serious cases.
“In an ideal world, a fully funded and functioning juvenile system could handle these cases. But that is not the reality we are dealing with today,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “Our report shows a system plagued by delays, staffing shortages, and a lack of accountability. Shifting more serious cases into an already broken structure does not serve youth, does not serve victims, and does not serve public safety.”
“The prosecutors who are in juvenile court every day know that the system is broken. Before shifting serious cases into the hands of an already overwhelmed agency and expecting a different result, there needs to be a pause, a regrouping, and a plan put in place as to what DJS ought to do, how they are going to do it, and how it’s going to be funded,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “We all want to help juvenile offenders stop committing crimes. Juveniles aren’t getting the services they need now, and they surely won’t get the services when the system is strained even more. We need to take the time to fix the system instead of rushing into this with little more than good intentions.”
“We are looking forward to a robust and candid conversation regarding reforms to juvenile justice in Maryland, and at the same time hope that any changes made would not compromise public safety. We appreciate the continuing conversations we have had with the new director of the Department of Juvenile Services and representatives from the Governor’s Office,” said Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy. “The juvenile justice system in Maryland is complex, and we need to ensure that the system is truly ready to provide services to an increasing number of violent offenders, including those accused of rape, murder, and handgun offenses. Prior to the implementation of any changes, the appropriate services and programs need to be in place. In Montgomery County, we currently face long delays in juvenile offenders beginning treatment, and the length of treatment provided is frequently inadequate.”
In addition to opposing the Juvenile Jurisdiction Bill, MSAA will be supporting the following bills in Annapolis this session:
Jamari’s Law and the Ny’Kala Strawder Act, both pieces of legislation, seek to either increase or implement criminal penalties for egregious actions that, unfortunately, have taken the lives of too many Maryland residents.
SB66, Jamari’s Law, introduced by Senators Chris West and Jack Bailey, would increase the minimum penalty of imprisonment for a first conviction for manslaughter by vehicle or vessel from 10 years to 20 years and for a second or subsequent conviction, or having been previously convicted for certain other crimes, from 15 years to 30 years.
SB362, the Ny’Kala Strawder Act, introduced by Senator Dalya Attar, would alter the penalty to add imprisonment not exceeding 5 years for storing or leaving a loaded firearm in a location where the person knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor had access to the firearm.
“The families of Jamari Ducket and Ny’Kala Strawder deserve justice in getting these two bills passed and signed into law, as the penalties that currently exist for both are inadequate, disheartening, and frankly antiquated,” said State’s Attorney Bates. “Jamari’s killer only served two and a half years of a ten year sentence after ending the life of this innocent 18-year old who had his whole life ahead of him while Ny’Kala never had an opportunity to truly live her life after losing her life at the age of fourteen, at the hands of a 10-year who was able to gain access to a legally owned firearm, and we had to get legally creative to hold the gun owner accountable because the current law only permits for a fine as a penalty. We are united in our efforts to ensure both bills are passed through both chambers this session. State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling has been instrumental in fighting for the passage of Jamari’s Law, while the Strawder family deserves my office’s consistent advocacy.”
State’s Attorney Bates emphasized that this year’s MSAA legislative agenda reflects a commitment to transparency and evidence-based policymaking and acknowledged the importance of collaborating across jurisdictions during his first year as MSAA President to address the needs in every corner of the state.
“MSAA is composed of twenty-four elected prosecutors who have done extraordinary work inside the courtroom and out in their communities,” said State’s Attorney Bates. “Their dedication to justice and transparency ensures this agenda is grounded in facts, not theory.”