[Baltimore Sun] Make families help foot the bill for juvenile detention | READER COMMENTARY
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Why should we care if a kid under supervision of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services wears an electronic ankle monitor or a GPS one? We need to ask about how much all this is costing (“New Maryland policies may lead to more juveniles on ankle monitors; experts skeptical,” Oct. 19). Presently, 223 juveniles are being watched. And, as reported online, the DJS budget is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, all taxpayer-funded as I understand. Isn’t it time the parents or guardians of these kids pick up some of the tab?
Until youngsters reach age 18, they are the legal responsibility of their parents or guardians. Why aren’t they keeping tabs on these junior criminals? Let’s demand answers and ask tough questions.
I’m unaware of the number of young people under all DJS supervision or the average cost per individual. Maryland taxpayers shouldn’t be required to entirely pay for the job of supervising them. It’s the parents’ obligation. They must do a better job and also contribute to the ankle monitoring cost, whether electronic or GPS.
— Rosalind Nester Heid, Baltimore
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