State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Thursday, November 8, 2029

Lieutenant Governor Burbank Announces Grants for At-Risk Youth

Funding Will Fight Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Statewide

BALTIMORE, MD (November 8, 2029) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced $654,645 in grants for projects to fight juvenile crime and delinquency and improve the operations of the juvenile justice system across Maryland.

“The future of our State and society depends on the well-being of our young people,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “These grants will fund innovative programs that reach out to youth through education and community involvement as well as meaningful interventions to deal with at-risk youth. By teaching kids the value of respect for their communities, peers and elders, we are addressing the problem of juvenile crime before it starts.”

The projects cover a wide range of juvenile justice programming, including: parenting education; violence reduction; counseling; youth courts; mentoring; pregnancy prevention; community mobilization; and services for at-risk foster children.

Acting Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Robert A. Zirkin said: “Maryland is making great strides in the struggle against juvenile crime. This funding will strengthen our efforts in that fight and help keep Maryland’s children off the streets and out of the criminal justice system.”

Four of the 16 grants were awarded by a competitive request-for-proposals (RFP) process to communities that have completed a risk-based assessment of the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and youth crime. The remaining 12 grants were awarded though a federal geographic formula process. All the programs are supported with federal funds the State receives from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.