Logan Seacrest, a fellow in Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties at the R Street Institute, testified before the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on February 4, 2026, in support of Senate Bill 323, known as the Youth Charging Reform Act.
Seacrest highlighted that Maryland is one of the few states where more than 1,000 youths were automatically charged as adults in 2025 without input from judges or prosecutors. Only Alabama had higher numbers. Most of these cases are later moved back to juvenile court or dismissed and do not result in adult convictions. This information was supported by a report from Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/12/maryland-should-do-better-children-accused-crimes.
He stated that “The Youth Charging Reform Act promotes limited, effective government by changing this inefficient and expensive process. By reducing the number of cases that start in the wrong court, this bill prevents the waste of judicial resources on transfer hearings for youth, saving the state an estimated $17 million per year.” The estimate comes from a fiscal note published by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/fnotes/bil_0002/sb0422.pdf.
Seacrest clarified that “this measure does not end or prohibit the prosecution of youth as adults. However, it does make those decisions more deliberate, giving prosecutors and judges more discretion over serious cases, not less.” He added that under SB 323, cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds charged with any of twelve serious offenses—including murder and carjacking—would still begin in adult court. Prosecutors would retain authority to petition for transfers to adult court for other serious cases. Judges would also continue to decide who is detained or released.
He argued that starting most youth cases in juvenile court aligns with systems designed for age-appropriate rehabilitation while maintaining accountability. Seacrest pointed out research indicating children charged as adults have higher rates of recidivism and are more likely to commit violent crimes later compared to those processed through juvenile courts. This is consistent with findings reported by both the American Bar Association (https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/childrens-rights/articles/2016/should-juveniles-be-charged-as-adults) and the Centers for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5609.pdf).
Additionally, he referenced concerns about exposing young people to adult jails, noting increased risks such as physical violence and sexual assault—a point supported by reports from organizations like the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/resource/national-prison-rape-elimination-commission-report).
In his closing remarks Seacrest said: “Youth charged with serious offenses need to be held accountable. However, accountability should not come at the expense of effective public safety or fiscal responsibility. By passing the Youth Charging Reform Act, Maryland will improve long-term outcomes for Maryland’s youth, reduce an extravagant misuse of government resources, and bring the state in alignment with national best practices and the latest scientific evidence on juvenile justice.”
He urged committee members to issue a favorable report for SB 323.
