The 123 juveniles held at the Baltimore City Detention Center have all been charged with crimes so heinous, they?re being held at the adult jail. City leaders tried to get them to change their ways.
“I told these guys they could be facing mandatory minimum sentences in federal prison if they don?t change their behavior,” Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein said this week.
“For too many of them, they learn about that too late.”
Teacher George Gantt, 60, told the teens of his troubled past at the first Youth Empowerment and Awareness Summit at the city jail.
“Their life was my life 50 years ago,” he said.
“I got arrested for breaking and entering when I was 14. I got placed in a foster home. They moved me from West Baltimore to East Baltimore, and it changed my life.”
Gantt, who went into the U.S. Air Force, said troubled teens need to separate themselves from their current group of friends.
“If they get new friends, they?ll have a new outlook on life,” he said.
Juveniles who are charged as adults and held at the Baltimore City jail receive daily education at The Eager Street Academy ? the only school of its kind in the country.
Jason Hyde, who is in charge of juveniles at the jail, said he hopes the youth get the message.
“Some of them don?t want to listen,” he said.
“But maybe we?ll get through to some of them.”
