MARYLAND DEBATE

Advocates call vetoes of two juvenile justice bills 'moving backward'

Advocates for children sharply criticized Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. yesterday for vetoing a pair of bills they say are important to reforming Maryland's long-troubled juvenile justice system and accused him of exploiting the issue for purely political reasons. The bills, which passed both houses of the General Assembly by wide margins in the past session, sought to expand and strengthen outside scrutiny of state-run programs for juvenile offenders.
“I think it's a tragedy ... an absolute disaster for our most at-risk youth,” said Del. Bobby A. Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat who sponsored the bills. He said he plans “a full-court press” to override the vetoes.
Linda Heisner, deputy director of Advocates for Children and Youth, said the vetoes will hamper reform efforts. “This is not moving forwards; this is moving backward,” she said. “It's a shame.”
Zirkin said Ehrlich has given only “lip service” to juvenile justice reform since taking office despite his campaign promises to make the issue a hallmark of his administration.
Ehrlich, through a spokeswoman, declined to respond to the criticism.

One of the vetoed bills would have moved supervision of the independent monitor, which investigates conditions in state juvenile facilities, out of the governor's office and put it under the state attorney general's office.
Advocates say that the move is needed to insulate the monitor from political interference with his work, which has included candid reports detailing assaults and other serious problems in juvenile facilities. In his veto message, Ehrlich said the independence of the office would be compromised if put under the supervision of the state's chief lawyer.

The other bill would have forced Department of Juvenile Services staff to appear before a judge when there are delays in providing youths with court-ordered treatment services. The governor said that requirement would be a burden for all involved.
That bill also called for the creation of a General Assembly committee to regularly review the department's performance to make sure it complied with legislative directives and recommendations made by the monitor. Ehrlich said the additional supervision wasn't necessary.
But Zirkin said that both bills enjoyed broad support in the Assembly and that he could see no good reason for the vetoes. “These bills were about accountability and oversight - getting the legislature and judiciary more involved and insuring the independence of our monitor,” he said.
Stacey Gurian-Sherman of the advocacy group JJ FAIR said Ehrlich's actions suggest he was never serious about his campaign pledge to reform the state's juvenile justice system. “By vetoing these bills, he is signaling that this issue was nothing more than a political ploy to get himself elected,” she said.

Cameron E. Miles, the outreach director for the Maryland Juvenile Justice Coalition, also said the vetoes raise questions about Ehrlich's commitment to reforming the system. “All he's done so far is change the name of the department,” he said.

Greg Garland
21 May 2005

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.juveniles21may21,1,4701599.story?coll=bal-local-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

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