Bill > S947

This bill aims to promote transparency, best practices, and better outcomes for children and communities. The key provisions of this bill include: - Increasing the age of certain juvenile justice definitions and procedures from 18 to 19, 20, and 21 years old. This extends the reach of the juvenile justice system to include older youth. - Establishing requirements for school resource officers, such as specialized training in child development and de-escalation techniques, and limiting their involvement in routine school discipline. - Prohibiting findings of delinquency for certain first-time offenses and providing opportunities for record sealing and expungement for eligible youth. - Restricting the use of restraints on juveniles in court proceedings and prohibiting room confinement as a form of punishment for youth in Department of Youth Services custody. - Creating a task force to analyze and make recommendations for improving juvenile justice data collection and reporting. - Establishing a rebuttable presumption that youth status is a mitigating factor in sentencing, allowing for modified sentences or early release options. - Restricting the sharing of juvenile records with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The bill aims to promote more developmentally appropriate and rehabilitative approaches within the juvenile justice system.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S947