Maryland is a centralized state. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) administers detention, delinquency intake, predisposition investigation, probation, correctional, and aftercare services.

How is detention organized?   

The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Residential Services Division oversees detention.

Informal community supervision is the most common diversion approach for youth who are low risk and non-violent, requiring minimal supervision by juvenile counselors. Informal supervision may entail referral to another agency or individual for specialized counseling, coordinating payment of restitution for damages to victims, directing community service, and/or supervising the youth as needed.

In 1998, the Maryland General Assembly enacted the Rights of Victim or Witness of Delinquent Act. This measure provides guidelines for agencies within the juvenile justice system on how to treat a victim or witness of a delinquent act. The Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) provides direct assistance to victims of juvenile crime; however, limited information about victim’s rights in Maryland is available online.

A Juvenile Counselor I, II, or III must have either a bachelor's degree or an Associate of Arts degree with two years' experience. Juvenile counselors must be licensed with the state of Maryland after they obtain employment. In addition, all juvenile counselors must be certified. In order to be a hours of training.

The court commits juveniles to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS). DJS conducts an assessment and develops an Individual Service Plan that is presented to the court for review. The court commits adjudicated youth for an indeterminate time period ranging from 30 - 120 days.

Institutional staff and the Department of Juvenile Services' Community Justice Division jointly recommend to the court when a juvenile should be physically discharged from a residential program, and where he or she should go.

Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) juvenile counselors supervise all youth released from placement. High risk/high need youth are assigned to a minimum of six months of intensive aftercare supervision (see below for description). A Treatment Service Plan is developed for youth assessed as high risk/needs.

Maryland’s purpose clause is rooted in Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) philosophies.  The BARJ movement advocates that juvenile courts give balanced attention to three primary interests: public safety, individual accountability to the victims and community, and the development in offenders of those skills necessary to live law-abiding and productive lives.

Lower Age: 7 

Upper Age: 17

Extended Age of Delinquency Jurisdiction: 20

Aftercare for youth is provided at high, medium, and low supervision levels as determined by a risk/needs assessment entitled Risk Assessment for Detained/Committed Populations (2001).The Classification Assessment Tool for Adjudicated Youth helps guide classification, out-of-home placement decisions, and case management decisions about adjudicated juveniles (prior to disposition).