On March 27, 2024, Honorable Judge Alexander Williams Jr. provided a guest opinion in the Baltimore Sun on holistic juvenile justice reform. We are mindful of the terrible tragedy resulting from the collision and collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Judge Alexander Williams Jr. Center expresses our deepest care and concern for friends, family, and all persons involved in this unprecedented tragedy. May this article release add to our concern for our state and the future of our youngest citizens in ensuring health and safety. 

"Like many states and local jurisdictions, Maryland has experienced a spike in auto thefts, carjacking, possession and use of firearms, and other violent and nonviolent offenses. While the data reflects that adults still represent the bulk of arrests for violent crimes, a significant number of these offenses have been perpetrated by juveniles. The contributors to juvenile crime vary and include: the impact of the pandemic on education, the institution of online education and the increase in truancy; the ready availability of drugs and firearms; the lack of effective parental guidance and supervision; social determinants such as gangs and negative peer influence; lack of mental health counseling; and, of course, the absence of an effective juvenile system to address the goals of accountability and rehabilitation. Systemic reform must be considered...

Yet, effective juvenile reform requires a comprehensive study, which, undoubtedly, will have to be considered beyond this present legislative session. There have been legislative discussions for several years with respect to an integrated, creative and holistic approach to juvenile reform. Wrap-around services — such as mental health counseling for at-risk youth, gun violence intervention strategies, family and community engagement, diversion programming, educational improvement, mentoring with respect to improving conflict resolution, and restorative justice to promote accountability and repair harm caused by criminal behavior — are but a few of the suggested proposals inherent in juvenile reform." 

Learn more about the three recommendations provided by Honorable Judge Williams here:

Three recommendations for holistic juvenile justice reform