Maryland stops sending so many teenagers to adult court

Maryland's Youth Charging Reform Act took effect on October 1: cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds that used to start automatically in adult court — including first-degree assault and certain firearm offenses — now begin in the juvenile system, where judges decide whether adult court is warranted. Murder, rape and other life-sentence crimes still go straight to adult court. The law also restricts holding juveniles where they would have sight or sound contact with adult inmates, and requires the state to track how many young people are housed with adults.