Youth crime in Maryland has been falling for a decade. What's behind the recent uptick?

Over the past decade, crimes committed by young people in Maryland fell by fifty percent, according to a recent report by the state Department of Juvenile Services. However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, there’s been a rise in juvenile arrests, and certain categories of crime - like carjackings and handgun violations —have risen steeply. We ask Maryland Secretary of Juvenile Services Vincent Schiraldi what's behind the uptick and what DJS is doing to support at-risk youth.Links:Research Brief- Putting Youth Crime In Maryland in Context Crimes by Maryland youth down over last decade, report findsLawmakers assess whether juvenile services are effective, but law enforcement could help, tooGun violence among juveniles is rising. How do you keep them out of the system?Maryland DJS secretary: ‘Many of the assumptions that society seems to hold about youth violence are wrong.’ Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472