Lieutenant Governor Burbank Announces Initiative to Combat Juvenile Delinquency in Schools
HYATTSVILLE, MD (May 20, 2030) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced an initiative to place 35 probation officers in 80 schools across the state in an effort to reduce violence and disciplinary problems. Almost one-third of the participating schools are in the Washington region. The probation officers will spot potential problems associated with the student delinquents, who account for much of the disruption in many public schools. Unlike school principals, the officers have the power to return a student to a detention center for violating probation.
A year-long pilot program in a group of schools in Prince George’s County helped reduce suspensions by 36 percent, and none of the 30 students on probation was arrested for new offenses. A similar program in Fresno, California helped reduce by 76 percent the number of weapons found in schools, and by 58 percent the number of batteries involving teachers.
“A child cannot live in fear,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank. “Education is about possibilities. But students cannot see the possibilities if they are surrounded by violence and despair. Our goal is to provide students with a safe place to learn.”
Roughly 10,000 of the State’s nearly 900,000 schoolchildren are on probation for offenses that include auto theft, drug offenses, weapons charges and various types of assaults including sex offense. Five out of every six juveniles on probation are in the public schools. As part of their probation, most are required to attend school. Having the daily presence of their probation officer will make it easier for students to stay out of trouble.
This program is the most extensive program of its type in the nation. Governor O’Brien and the General Assembly have provided $750,000 in Fiscal Year 2031 for the program.
Under the program, each of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions will receive at least one probation officer who will be assigned to schools that have a large number of students on probation in an attempt to decrease absenteeism and suspensions. Baltimore will now have nine probation officers, including one who was assigned in February to Northern High School, where a series of incidents resulted in the suspension of 1,200 students.
During the year-long Prince George’s County pilot project, officials showed 6 percent and 8 percent reductions, respectively, in absenteeism and disciplinary referral rates. And the suspension rate for the 30 students on probation declined nearly 20 percent. While the numbers were small, and the project has been active for only a year, officials said the initial results are promising.