Ex-police commander voices concerns about juvenile criminal responsibility following fatal collision incident

In a recent statement, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund President Jason Johnson expressed concerns about Maryland's juvenile justice laws affecting investigations. Johnson, who served as a police officer, highlighted the lack of information available to officers and the public about juvenile cases, which he referred to as a "black box."

Johnson's concerns come amidst a string of incidents, one of which involved a fatal crash on Sheriff Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Highway. Four juveniles were allegedly inside a stolen car that ran a red light, resulting in the tragic death of Shaunte Denise Canty.

Johnson stated that Maryland's laws make it challenging to hold juveniles accused of crimes in detention until their court hearing. He mentioned that even the officers involved in the charging of juveniles do not have the right to know anything about the case or what is happening with it.

New Acting DJS Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino discussed the ability to detain juveniles in an interview with 7News Maryland Bureau Chief Brad Bell in July. Tolentino, who has implemented regulations in Maryland's Youth Justice Service that emphasize alternatives to incarceration for youths accused of serious crimes, focusing on rehabilitation and community-based programs rather than detention, stated that when it's not possible to serve young people safely in communities, other tools such as long-term treatment in a residential facility or short-term detention may be used.

However, Johnson did not specify which specific cases or cases he was referring to in his comments about juvenile cases being adjudicated in secret. He also did not provide any examples of specific juvenile cases where he felt the juvenile was not detained appropriately.

The prosecutor's office has not yet said if these juveniles will be charged. The Department of Juvenile Services was asked about Johnson's concerns regarding Maryland's juvenile justice laws, but no response has been received yet.

Johnson also brought up another issue he dealt with while on the force, which is the lack of information available to officers and the public about juvenile cases. He expressed concerns about the lack of transparency, hoping that Acting Secretary Tolentino will institute more stringent regulations and detain more juveniles charged with serious offenses.