The Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center must shape up immediately, the federal government said Tuesday.
“Some youth live in fear of daily assaults by others,” said Wan Kim, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. “These assaults often included planned and premeditated attacks by groups of youth against lone victims.”
After a 22-month federal investigation into the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center revealed “significant deficiencies,” the state agreed Tuesday to fix the problems.
The investigation of the facility, which houses up to 144 boys ages 12 to 18, revealed a number of “civil rights” violations, the federal government said.
Those violations included “excessive” youth-on-youth violence, “deficient” suicide-prevention measures, “inadequate” mental health care and “legally insufficient” special education services.
Kim said such conditions prevent juvenile offenders from turning into successful adults.
“States have an obligation to ensure that young offenders are housed in a safe and humane environment,” Kim said. “Today?s settlement will improve conditions at this facility with respect to protection from harm, suicide prevention, mental health and special education.”
The agreement requires the state to implement reforms by June 29.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Justice Center will join the Cheltenham Youth Facility and the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Baltimore County in undergoing independent monitoring.
If Maryland does not follow through with fixes outlined in the agreement, it could face disciplinary action, Kim said.
