DJS reports Safe Summer implementation one month after Governor Wes Moore directive

BALTIMORE — One month after Maryland Governor Wes Moore directed the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) to create a Safe Summer Strategy for our juvenile and emerging adult populations, DJS is reporting updated plans and strategies, as well as early successes of a multi-layered approach to youth engagement.

The Safe Summer approach brings together prevention, intervention, community supervision, and response efforts to ensure DJS is actively supporting youth, engaging communities, and addressing issues quickly when they arise. This allows for more effective communication across agencies and more resources for families and children.

“As Marylanders head into the hottest months of the year, there is no break for the agencies and stakeholders tasked with ensuring our communities are safe,” said Governor Wes Moore. “Our neighborhoods want data-driven strategies and real plans for public safety and I am encouraged to see the collaboration among stakeholders to make sure the strategies we’re building are responsible, responsive and effective.”

Workforce Development 

While summer break is just beginning, DJS efforts are showing signs of success. Since May 1, DJS has supported 30 community engagement events across the state, helping connect youth and families to positive activities and resources throughout the summer months. Employment continues to be a major focus, as 110 youth have been connected to summer or year-round employment opportunities, including over 70 youth placed through Maryland's WorkSource Centers and another 30 participating in the Green Cadet Program, a DJS year-round workforce development program that pays youth for on-the-job experience in the community. This summer, DJS will begin working with community organizations in other communities to host summer events, partnering with local communities and creating unique opportunities for youth to participate in activities to help keep them safe.

Law Enforcement Coordination

Separately, DJS is working to strengthen coordination with law enforcement partners. Three jurisdictions are currently participating in regularly scheduled youth safety coordination calls, allowing information sharing, identifying concerns early, and coordinating interventions when needed. DJS has also reached out to all law enforcement agencies in the state to update contacts and ensure lines of communications are strong. DJS is also collaborating with Ocean City Police Department for the holiday weekend, with on-site staff and transportation on call throughout the weekend to respond to any situations that arise.

“Thanks to Governor Moore’s investments in public safety and his foresight to direct our agency to build out and share our strategies for the summer, our communities are safer and more ready for the summer months,” said DJS Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino. “It’s through the relationships and trust we’ve built in the last year that we will continue this progress into the future.”

Prevention

After Moore’s administration and the General Assembly gave additional funding for Safer Stronger Together, that interdepartmental strategy (with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services) celebrated an expansion into Prince George’s County. Between May 1 and early June, SST has served nearly 2,000 youth and families. During that time, 30 community partners hosted more than 60 end-of-school and start-of-summer engagement events designed to connect youth and families with positive opportunities, services, and supports.

Intervention

DJS is taking a proactive approach with its new Safe Summer Satellites program, intervening before issues arise. Community Detention staff are maintaining a visible presence at locations where large youth gatherings are expected. While DJS staff do not serve in an enforcement role, they provide real-time coordination and support for youth, families, law enforcement, and security partners, helping address concerns early and strengthen public safety throughout the summer.

Beginning in July, DJS is expanding its framework to support the children most at risk of gun violence, Thrive, to ensure young people have access to the services and supports they need to reduce repeat offending and achieve positive outcomes, beginning to serve youth on probation who are struggling to meet the conditions of their court order. These may be youth who started off doing well but have disengaged from services, or youth who never fully engaged in the first place. By providing additional wraparound support, mentoring, and intervention, Thrive allows youth to get back on track and successfully complete probation. DJS is also creating an intervention for younger youth under age 14 who have committed a serious first-time offense or who are showing an escalating pattern of offending over time, with a goal to intervene earlier, connect youth and families to services, and address issues before they become more serious. Both of these additions are designed to expand the reach of Thrive and provide support at critical points when youth are most at risk of deeper system involvement.

DJS is also focused on connecting youth to education and community support, developing Maryland Re-Connect, a new effort to improve transitions and help youth successfully reconnect to school and other opportunities when they return to the community. DJS is also strengthening partnerships with the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC) and the Center for School Safety. School safety and information sharing remain critical priorities.

DJS will continue to update the Governor and stakeholders regarding developments, tracked data trends and performance indicators to ensure the directive is appropriately implemented.

###