[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6342168,"mediaKeyId","2255585-8d088923deb95bd2f552695eb72b5104","parentId",2255585,"title","DPSCS seeks $139.7 million for community supervision; agency ordered vests and armed guards after agent’s murder","audioSeconds",2345,"startMs",866000,"endMs",3211000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255585-8d088923deb95bd2f552695eb72b5104&start=866&end=3211","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255585-8d088923deb95bd2f552695eb72b5104/thumbnail_866000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6342168/Maryland/DPSCS-seeks-1397-million-for-community-supervision-agency-ordered-vests-and-armed-guards-after-agents-murder","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6342168-e94f1bec8e7e0561f7f5d547f5f40261/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143742&Signature=TEvIdA4Z4HI5ZFJ0-pZRoAGIaMvdsoRycLM31eNNyfZ~LpDLzcwdlpjmJagPIebGFYCm1GqosIKT~X9uoeuPAkDFvkZlF6Teh0X0jOW4bDj4scb~7qrLMTgj4eyss-JzdVoXQDL-KgJBeEAfeeeapu6zvKS8usNzzCdeL5mbSaiJfPTzk8OvC~cK0ymQ28GNYxo57Zt1KAQosrvqb1aQ-JpSiQtgg305zabfEAz39eBa3JiE0Vm3kr5zlIOGECDWTE50GzRR6kSYhPsOeMYm7mmEOWk170zguyKE4ndaVLnh6S0M2BcRvlzM1TaPpXWZwrEJPthZYQYMtCZga-zNnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland Legislature","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services told the Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee that its fiscal 2026 community supervision budget totals $139,700,000, a $3,800,000 increase (2.8%) from the fiscal 2025 working appropriation.

Analyst Catherine Barber of the Department of Legislative Services highlighted that personnel accounts for most of the allowance: $124,000,000 (about 89%) covering 1,186 regular positions and funding 34 new positions. Barber said half of those 34 were contractual conversions and half were transfers from other DPSCS areas.

The increase and the hearing centered on safety changes after the May 31, 2024, murder of parole agent Davis Martinez. Barber told the committee that DPSCS used fiscal 2025 deficiency appropriations to order multi‑threat ballistic vests (about $743,000) and to place armed guards in offices statewide (about $1,500,000). The budget also contains about $429,000 for body‑worn cameras “contingent on the enactment of legislation allowing their use,” Barber said. Carolyn J. Scruggs, secretary of DPSCS, told the committee that more than 600 multi‑threat vests have been ordered and that 307 vests had been received and distributed so far.

Why it matters: the agency suspended routine home visits after the agent’s death and has continued contact through office meetings, video calls and targeted field actions. DPSCS told the subcommittee it does not intend to resume routine home visits until it can re‑equip and re‑train agents, and that high‑risk or absconder home visits are being handled by warrant and apprehension units and other commissioned staff.

Department officials described other near‑term changes. Scruggs said agents’ phones will be equipped with tracking technology to report location during work hours, but that terms of use are still being bargained with AFSCME. DPSCS said it is negotiating nine policies with the union, testing the agency’s new field mobility application, and has convened independent reviewers to examine agency practices surrounding Martinez’s death. The department also said it will begin a 90‑day pilot with the Montgomery County Police Department in which police may accompany agents on home visits.

Caseloads and training: Barber reported 85,343 community supervision cases in fiscal 2024, a 3% increase from fiscal 2023, with roughly 34,000 of those actively monitored by agents. Using American Parole and Probation Association guidance, DLS calculated a recommended caseload of about 70 cases per agent; only two of four regions met that ratio in fiscal 2024. Barber also noted that DPP mandated 40 hours of annual in‑service community supervision training, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Risk assessment and implementation delays: DPSCS has continued to use the initial risk screener (IRS) as its primary tool while evaluating replacements for the Level of Service Inventory‑Revised (LSIR) and other tools. Barber said contractor reviews recommended retiring some existing instruments and investing more in staff training; selection of any new tool was delayed by personnel changes and the incoming director’s review.

DLS recommendation: DLS recommended restricting $150,000 in general funds pending a report from DPSCS describing its safety strategy for community supervision agents. Scruggs said the department concurs with DLS’s three report recommendations and plans to provide follow‑up documents, including the requested reports about risk assessment tools and plans to resume home visits. Several legislators asked that any memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with local law enforcement for home‑visit support be shared with the committee as they are finalized.

Public comments and staff testimony: Agent David McDonald, who identified himself as a senior agent in the specialized offender unit at the Gaithersburg Field Office and a union member, testified about staffing and resource shortages in his office. McDonald said his office supervises more than 633 specialized offenders and that he personally carries a caseload of 187 individuals; he also described a lack of clerical support and only four duty vehicles for 20+ agents.

Next steps: DPSCS and DLS agreed to provide the committee the outstanding reports requested by legislators, and the agency planned to start the Montgomery County police pilot the next day, weather permitting. Committee members pressed for more information about MOUs with county sheriffs and police chiefs and asked for periodic updates on vacancy rates, equipment distribution and pilot outcomes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","PST Committee Session, 2/10/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services told the Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee that its fiscal 2026 community supervision budget totals $139,700,000, a $3.8 million increase from fiscal 2025.","taxTitle","Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee, Budget and Taxation Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",78575,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6342165,"Juvenile services budget rises to $369.3 million as DLS questions some expansions and facility plans",3537,3231000,6768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255585-8d088923deb95bd2f552695eb72b5104&start=3231&end=6768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255585-8d088923deb95bd2f552695eb72b5104/thumbnail_3231000.jpg","/articles/6342165/Maryland/Juvenile-services-budget-rises-to-3693-million-as-DLS-questions-some-expansions-and-facility-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6342165-71d513d354f2f93d6a457b5991ceab25/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143742&Signature=ohK5joIKhrxR1YHisIVUzi7K4l02vfitSfzm2TePmpEIRpEfSq0oungITri1mibKNZjLBJRS~RIjx3jqem50QQ1ISm-2XSpXHX7G0KZ4jiwW2PkYJ0w61ZZBecSBi1qVDGHMfdYi5cUXaSUMbQfrFwPCzQeAmuz2pCdkcRma6cwvazOkv37hnhdPryMn7921EWDRZsdx0NBA9iwU5kLMpjk46SEJLTlmoLVK6Ru4x4DjzrCo5zO2LIiDhGtXpOEANdniN7MQabYmTN1CKv-NZgc6ed1dR8vYOEqbP1sh007bYQO3jEQHhUIF26T--d3PYmfr~OWqHicXNu8bjD-oNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Juvenile Services’ fiscal 2026 allowance rises to $369,300,000, an increase of $22,600,000, department and Department of Legislative Services analysts told the Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee.

Madeline Miller, DLS analyst, said roughly 45% of the growth is attributable to personnel costs and that about 70% of the allowance supports personnel. DJS Deputy Secretary Tiffany Johnson told the committee the department is prioritizing rebuilding the community‑based service continuum and expanding programming aimed at preventing youth entry or reentry into the juvenile justice system.

Programs and early outcomes: DJS described ongoing community initiatives that feed into the department’s prevention and reentry goals. The Thrive Academy, an intensive community‑based program launched in September 2023, serves youth identified at high risk for gun violence. Tiffany Johnson said Thrive’s early outcomes showed “fewer than 2 percent of Thrive youth have been gun violence victims,” none have been homicide victims, and “4 out of 5 have not been arrested for a gun offense.” The agency said an independent evaluation of Thrive will be conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and funders cited in testimony.

Enhanced services continuum and DLS recommendation: The allowance includes funding for an Enhanced Services Continuum intended to expand diversion, reentry supports, credible‑messenger mentoring and other programs. DLS recommended reducing the general fund appropriation for that continuum by $4,200,000 because the program had limited time to demonstrate effectiveness after start‑up delays and prior reductions by the Board of Public Works (BPW). DJS opposed the cut, saying stakeholders and courts have requested expanded community‑based services and that credible‑messenger programming already shows promising early outcomes. DJS asked the committee to retain the requested funding.

Facilities and the Catoctin treatment center: DLS also recommended deleting a $3,000,000 appropriation to reopen a residential substance‑use treatment facility on the Victor Cullen campus (referred to in testimony as the Catoctin Treatment Center) because that project was not included in DJS’s 2024 facilities master plan. DJS told the committee it still sees a critical need for residential substance‑use treatment beds and intends to partner with the Maryland Department of Health and other entities to bring residential options online; the department asked the committee to retain the funding.

Placement, caseloads and data systems: DLS reported 14,245 complaints in fiscal 2024 (for 9,195 youth) and noted that average daily nonresidential population rose to about 1,676 youth in fiscal 2024. DLS also said detained average daily population rose to about 265.2 youth in fiscal 2024 and that average length of stay for youth pending placement has increased markedly. DJS reported opening pending‑placement units at the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center and Cheltenham Youth Detention Center to provide evidence‑based therapies while youths wait for placements; DJS said those pending‑placement units have averaged about 24 youth and provided roughly 4–4.9 hours of treatment weekly per youth as the program ramps up.

Data systems: DLS noted that DJS has used the ASSIST client database since 1999 and that CJAMS (the Child, Juvenile and Adult Management System hosted under MD THINK) lacked frontline functionality, so DJS and DoIT are working to ensure bidirectional data sharing. DJS said it is adding reporting in its Safe Measures platform to track completion of its post‑discharge reentry checklist and improve reentry metric collection.

Staffing and vacancies: DLS reported 2,227.5 vacant positions as of Dec. 31 (66.5 vacant more than one year) and noted high overtime expenditures. DJS testified that vacancy rates have improved for residential direct‑care staff and that the department is expanding academy capacity with the goal of more frequent academies and additional full‑time academy staff.

Budget‑bill language and withheld funds: DLS recommended releasing withheld funds after DJS submitted the requested placement‑wait‑time report and facilities master plan; DJS provided both documents and DLS recommended releasing the withheld amounts. DJS also asked the committee for continued support of the Thrive Academy and other community investments as it builds out the continuum of care.","Department of Juvenile Services presented a $369.3 million FY26 allowance; DLS recommended cutting $4.2 million for the enhanced services continuum and deleting $3 million for reopening the Catoctin treatment center; DJS opposed those cuts and described program expansions including Thrive Academy and pending‑placement units","actionData","errors"]

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DPSCS seeks $139.7 million for community supervision; agency ordered vests and armed guards after agent’s murder

Juvenile services budget rises to $369.3 million as DLS questions some expansions and facility plans