Maryland Department of Juvenile Services

Whether youth are first time offenders committing relatively minor misdemeanor offenses, repeat offenders with serious felony charges, or children who haven't committed a crime but who are exhibiting uncontrollable behavior, all are referred to case managers within Community Services for appropriate assessment, intervention, and assistance.

Upon referral by law enforcement or other governmental agencies, parents or concerned citizens, youth are screened by case managers designated in the juvenile law as "intake officers" to determine what course of action is appropriate in each case. The intake officer may forward a case to the State's Attorney's Office recommending formal court action, place the youth on voluntary informal supervision for up to 90 days, close the case with a warning, or disapprove a case for insufficient evidence. Informal supervision may entail referral to another agency or individual for specialized counseling, coordinating payment of restitution for damages to victims, directing community service and/or providing appropriate supervision of the youth as needed.

Maryland law places youth between the ages of 7 and 21 under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court. However, youth between 14 and 18 years of age comprise the majority served by the Department. Youth whose cases go to court and who are adjudicated delinquent may be placed on probation under the supervision of a probation case manager. If necessary, they may be placed outside of the home in a variety of specialized settings to meet their needs. When this occurs, emphasis on returning them to their own homes is an important component of departmental philosophy and practice. Aftercare services are also an important part of reintegrating youth into their families and the community upon release from an out-of-home placement.

Case managers in the areas of intake, probation and aftercare perform a variety of tasks including but not limited to:

Screening police and citizen complaints     Assessing client actions, needs and prior history     Developing appropriate action plans for treatment, behavior modification or services     Counseling and supervision     Evaluating youths' progress and making recommendations to juvenile court     Coordinating additional social, educational or mental health services     Placing youth in community service programs     Identifying employment and recreational opportunities