{"id":2651292,"date":"2026-08-28T16:47:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:47:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-misused-funds-supporting-justice-involved-youth-doj\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T17:07:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T21:07:08","slug":"maryland-misused-funds-supporting-justice-involved-youth-doj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-misused-funds-supporting-justice-involved-youth-doj\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland misused funds supporting &#8216;justice-involved&#8217; youth: DOJ"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaryland-misused-funds-supporting-justice-involved-youth-doj%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2651292&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Maryland government office received $622,883 from the Department of Justice to support youth mental health and drug treatment programs between 2020 and 2025.However, a federal watchdog found that the office did not serve any clients or find approved treatment agencies, raising concerns over misused funds. The DOJ inspector general reported that the office failed to meet grant requirements and identified questioned costs equal to the entire grant amount. Despite reduced targets and fewer court referrals, the Maryland Public Defender acknowledged administrative shortcomings but emphasized that essential services were still provided to 48 rural youth during the pandemic. Maryland&#8217;s lawmakers are working to reduce youth incarceration, with recent legislation removing certain crimes from juvenile court jurisdiction and trying to de-carcerate the system. Nonetheless,the office criticized the continuation of 26 automatic pathways to adult courts for certain offenses,arguing that such measures do not enhance community safety.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\">Maryland<\/a> office received $622,883 from the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> to help youth escape drug and mental health problems but hardly served any clients, a federal watchdog agency found.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state\u2019s Office of the Public Defender <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26-082.pdf\">never found<\/a> an approved mental health agency to treat the children despite spending all the money between 2020 and 2025, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4679220\/local-governments-misusing-federal-money-crime-victims-doj\/\">DOJ\u2019s inspector general office<\/a> said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/oig.justice.gov\/reports\/audit-office-justice-programs-office-juvenile-justice-mental-health-collaboration-program?utm_source=govdelivery&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_campaign=report&#038;utm_content=title\">Thursday report<\/a>. The Maryland agency has repeatedly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/opd.state.md.us\/_files\/ugd\/868471_37594238f1a74a0488596fe28e3f8835.pdf\">argued<\/a> for such <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/gocpp.maryland.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/4_3_24-LGC-Minutes.pdf\">treatments<\/a> as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4675743\/dc-janeese-lewis-george-expand-diversion-juvenile-criminals\/\">alternatives to incarceration<\/a>, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/opd.state.md.us\/socialworkgrantopenings\">referring to<\/a> young criminals as \u201cjustice-involved youth\u201d in comments to local officials.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4703981\/maryland-misused-federal-grant-supporting-justice-involved-youth-doj-auditors\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Maryland misused federal grant supporting \u2018justice-involved\u2019 youth: DOJ auditors<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4702905\/closing-argument-lindsay-clancy-trial-strangling-puppet-murder-was-choice\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Closing arguments conclude in Lindsay Clancy trial as prosecutors argue murders were \u2018a choice\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4702429\/coast-guard-torches-suspected-drug-boat-carrying-cocaine-to-us\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Coast Guard torches suspected drug boat carrying cocaine to US<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe concluded that the grant requirements and the expected goal of the award were not met, and we identified $622,883 in questioned costs, which represents the entire grant amount,\u201d the inspector general report said. The report asked the public defender\u2019s office to \u201cremedy\u201d the wasted taxpayer dollars and change its internal policies to improve oversight.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ initially expected Maryland to use the money to serve 150 clients annually in their agreement, but it reduced the yearly goal to 30 in 2023. The public defender\u2019s office ultimately could not give evidence that more than 10 clients were ever served, auditors found. The office blamed the issues on \u201cfewer court referrals than anticipated,\u201d the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/covid-19\">COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>, \u201cbarriers\u201d in rural areas, and \u201clower arrest rates among juveniles,\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue pushed back on the DOJ\u2019s findings in comments to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dartigue\u2019s office \u201creviewed the report and acknowledges that our documentation processes needed modernization, which we have now implemented, but these administrative gaps never prevented us from delivering essential, life-altering mental health and legal stability to 48 rural youth during the height of the pandemic,\u201d she said. \u201cThroughout the grant period the DOJ\u2019s own agency, [the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention], monitored our progress, conducted five desk reviews, and consistently validated our work as \u2018satisfactory\u2019 and \u2018compliant.\u2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have taken the administrative feedback seriously, but it is critical to distinguish between the \u2018administrative deficiencies\u2019 found by the OIG and the programmatic success we delivered to vulnerable youth,\u201d Dartigue told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cWe look forward to continued collaboration in support of our youth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state\u2019s lawmakers have grappled with how to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wypr.org\/wypr-news\/2025-12-01\/maryland-officials-split-on-ending-automatically-charging-youths-as-adults\">end Maryland\u2019s reputation<\/a> for having higher youth incarceration rates than the national average. Juvenile arrests in Maryland were 20% higher in 2024 than in 2020 and increased each year from 2021 to 2024, according to the state\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mgaleg.maryland.gov\/pubs\/budgetfiscal\/2027fy-budget-docs-operating-V00A-Department-of-Juvenile-Services.pdf\">Department of Juvenile Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the OPD and other state officials, one solution is putting fewer people in jail.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) signed the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/MD\/votes\/HB409\/2026\">Democrat-backed<\/a> Youth Charging Reform Act in May, removing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/c026acbc-bc5d-4cef-8584-0a0bde77d83b.filesusr.com\/ugd\/8cb54c_ea251943f9d94d889efc7445dc6a281c.pdf\">seven categories of crimes<\/a> for which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/05\/28\/maryland-decides-its-a-great-time-to-soften-penalties-amid-youth-crime-crisis\/\">youth would be tried in adult courts<\/a> instead of more lenient juvenile courts. Starting in October, juvenile courts will have jurisdiction over certain assault, abduction, kidnapping, robbery, gun, and sexual offense cases, plus some life-sentence crimes for defendants between 14 and 16 years old.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4679220\/local-governments-misusing-federal-money-crime-victims-doj\/\"><strong>LOCAL GOVERNMENTS KEEP MISUSING FEDERAL MONEY MEANT FOR CRIME VICTIMS: DOJ INSPECTORS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The OPD praised the law in May for curtailing \u201cMaryland\u2019s carceral system\u201d \u2014 but said it did not go far enough.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut 26 automatic pathways to adult court remain,\u201d the office said. \u201cTwenty-six offenses where a child can still be sent into the adult system before the law requires anyone to ask a single question about who that child is. The evidence is clear: automatic adult prosecution does not make communities safer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maryland Public Defender misused $622K, served few youth<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1239,"featured_media":2651293,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23216610504050.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4543,4901,4837,23081,5513],"class_list":["post-2651292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-funds","tag-justice","tag-maryland","tag-misuse","tag-youth"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23216610504050.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1239"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2651292"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2651295,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651292\/revisions\/2651295"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2651293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2651292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2651292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2651292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}