Advocates speak out against "inhumane conditions" at Maryland youth detention facility in Baltimore
Advocates with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender are raising concerns about what they are calling "inhumane conditions" at a State Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) youth detention facility in Baltimore.
It comes as the facility experienced issues with its heating system last week amid cold temperatures and winter weather.
The center houses minors who are charged as adults and are awaiting trial.
Ongoing heating issues
On Thursday, Dec. 4, DPSCS said it was in the process of fixing the heating system, noting that the state submitted an emergency declaration to ensure the repairs are completed as quickly as possible.
On Friday, the department said a replacement part needed to fix the system would arrive on Monday at the earliest under the expedited process.
According to the department, blankets and warm clothes were provided along with portable electric heaters.
Last week, advocates from the Office of the Public Defender claimed the heating issues were impacting 60 minors and most living areas in the facility, including the gym and school.
Classes at the facility were cancelled on Thursday due to the heating issues. A spokesperson for DPSCS told WJZ that classes were not cancelled on Friday, but were moved to another area of the facility.
Advocates call for quick fix
On Monday afternoon, advocates are expected to hold a news conference to call on DPSCS Secretary Carolyn Scruggs and Gov. Wes Moore to address the heating issues at the youth facility and others across the state.
According to advocates, DPSCS staff have been warning department and state officials about the need to address infrastructure issues during the last two gubernatorial administrations.
"This latest incident also further underscores the need to limit unnecessary incarceration where appropriate," advocates said in a statement. "This includes supporting legislation to end automatically placing young people in the adult criminal justice system based solely upon the charges against them."
According to advocates, most of the minors being housed in the youth detention facility are there "because of current autocharging laws, where over 80% of the children charged as adults have their charges dismissed or sent back to Juvenile Court, while over 85% of the children charged as adults are Black."
