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Maryland committee hears bill to bar juveniles from sight-and-sound contact with adults in jails
Summary
Lawmakers and advocates urged the House Judiciary Committee to approve HB 389, which would prohibit juveniles from being detained where they can see or hear incarcerated adults and align state practice with the federal JJDPA; proponents warned Maryland risks losing federal juvenile-justice funding without action.
Delegate Bartlett asked lawmakers to bring Maryland into compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, introducing HB 389 to bar any child arrested, convicted or awaiting trial from being detained in a facility where the child "has contact or comes within sight and sound of an incarcerated adult." Bartlett told the committee the prohibition is required by the JJDPA and that Maryland faces federal funding reductions if it remains out of compliance.
Multiple witnesses — a formerly incarcerated man, human-rights advocates, county officials, the Public Defender's Office and victims'serving groups — described the…
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