Juvenile Justice

The ACLU of Maryland works to ensure that the juvenile justice system does not penalize youth on the basis of gender, race, economic status or disability. Youth are too often deprived of their liberty not because they pose a threat to public safety, but because they demonstrate a high level of need. The juvenile justice system must not expose youth to abusive conditions of confinement, subject them to intrusive surveillance, or criminalize normal adolescent behavior. We seek to ensure that justice system responses to youth are fair, equitable and rehabilitative.