PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 532

CHAPTER 532
(House Bill 1249)

AN ACT concerning

Juveniles - Balanced and Restorative Justice

FOR the purpose of altering the express purposes of certain laws pertaining to juveniles
who commit delinquent acts; providing that the fundamental purpose of these laws
is to ensure that the juvenile justice system incorporates the philosophy of
restorative justice and balances principles of public safety, accountability and
competency development; expanding a certain provision relating to the
responsibility of parents of children in need of assistance to make it applicable to
the parents of children in need of supervision and the parents of delinquent
children; and generally relating to children in need of assistance or supervision and
children who commit delinquent acts.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings
Section 3-802

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1995 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-802.

(a) The purposes of this subtitle are:

[(2)] (1) [To remove from children committing delinquent acts the taint of
criminality and the consequences of criminal behavior;] TO ENSURE THAT THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM BALANCES THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES FOR CHILDREN
WHO HAVE COMMITTED DELINQUENT ACTS:

(I) PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY;

(II) ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE CHILD TO THE VICTIM AND THE
COMMUNITY FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED; AND

(III) COMPETENCY AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TO ASSIST
CHILDREN IN BECOMING RESPONSIBLE AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY;

(2) TO HOLD PARENTS OF CHILDREN FOUND TO BE DELINQUENT
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD'S BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VICTIM AND
THE COMMUNITY;

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