For years, state’s attorneys across Maryland have been among the loudest voices calling for juvenile justice reform.

“I don’t know a state’s attorney out of the 24 of us that is not deeply concerned with the state of juvenile crime,” said Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.

Now, change has finally come in the form of new laws aimed at tackling juvenile crime and holding young people accountable. But Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith doesn’t think the new laws will make much difference.

“I personally think they’ll have minimal impact on public safety,” said Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. “Primarily because all the policies in place right now are voluntarily therapeutic. They just make recommendations. There’s really no teeth to them. There’s no sanctions. There’s no accountability.”

Under the new laws, kids between the ages of 10 and 12 years old can face charges for handgun violations, third-degree sex offenses, and aggravated animal abuse.

If a child under 13 steals a car for the first time, a child in need of supervision — or CINS — petition will be filed.

“It just defies logic to think that filing a CINS petition is going to get these juveniles the resources they need,” Smith said.

Howard County’s Gibson is more optimistic.

“I believe there were measures designed to help us, that is the goal and we will see how close we are to achieving that goal,” he said.

Gibson and several of his colleagues, including Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, agree only time will tell.

“I think it’s going to have at least at the outset some incremental positive impacts on juvenile crime,” said Shoemaker. “I would have liked to have seen some things go farther.”

Shoemaker says he wanted to see more done with the Child Interrogation Protection Act.

“I think it will give us a chance to bring in more cases, which means more juveniles will be exposed to getting probation and the help they need no matter what kind it is, and hopefully then they won’t keep reoffending,” said Shellenberger.

The hope, they say, is more kids will be truly invested in and shaped at a young age, so their offices never see them as adults.

“There needs to be a philosophical shift in the way in which we approach juvenile services. I feel as if the approach currently is to have the lightest touch possible and move them through as fast as possible, and I don’t think that does a service to the youth and nor does that protect society,” said Gibson.

Have a news tip? Contact Maxine Streicher at mlbentzel@sbgtv.com.