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Overhauling the Shackling of Juvenile Prisoners in Maryland

creative commons

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A legislative task force reviewing juvenile justice issues is recommending limiting the situations in which juveniles accused of crimes can be shackled.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the task force recommended some changes Thursday, but voted against a proposal to drastically overhaul shackling practices.

The panel agreed that the Department of Juvenile Services shouldn't detain youths under 13 and should be required to share more information about shackling.

The panel also agreed that youths shouldn't be cuffed and shackled while being transported for home visits and those shackled while traveling should have a hand free when using the bathroom.

The panel already recommended banning strip searches without an "articulated, reasonable belief" that a youth is concealing drugs, keys or anything that could be used as a weapon.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.