SALISBURY, Md.- The Maryland Office of Public Defender hosted a discussion Tuesday night about HB 814. The bill became law earlier this year and expands the powers of law enforcement and holding children accountable.
HB814’s biggest critique is it allows 10-13 year old's to be prosecuted as adults, if they are alleged to have committed an offense that carries life imprisonment and a judge says the child should stand trial as an adult. Judges determine whether children are tried as adults or not, which means judges can, if convicted, decide whether a child is sentenced as an adult to prison time.
Monica Brooks, President of the Wicomico County NAACP says this law is unfair to children with developing minds.
"They're not in any place where their brain is fully developed; they're not in a place where they can fully be, a place where they can fully understand what they are doing," said Brooks.
Brooks says other means like intervention in schools and mental health counseling can help guide children onto the right path, as opposed to through the court system.
“If we can provide services to help them be better people to become good adults, why wouldn't we do that?"
Others like Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes says HB 814 holds children accountable when they break the law. Dykes says in times of an increase of crime and especially among younger and younger children.
"We are better able to hold children accountable," said Dykes. "They're a high risk to themselves, to their families and to the community. Court intervention is necessary."
However Brooks argues that while accountability is important, the way accountability is executed is of concern.
"We want them to say wait a minute, I understand that they've done some things they deserve punishment for. Yes they deserve to be held accountable, but how do we do that?," said Brooks.
Panelists encouraged people to support the YES act, which stands for Youth Equity and Safety Act which aims to undo some of the efforts of HB814.