- Report Calls County a Healthcare ‘Desert’ for Transgender Community (MyMCM, 1/17/2023)
- Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight released a 57-page report highlighting deficiencies in transgender healthcare services in the county. The report indicates limited services for transgender individuals, with the county government not providing trans-specific services. Recommendations include mandatory training for healthcare providers, the creation of a list of providers offering healthcare for transgender individuals, and the establishment of a dedicated safe space for the LGBTQ+ community in the county.
- Greater focus on crime sparks another wave of juvenile justice bills (Maryland Matters, 7/4/2024)
- In response to a perceived rise in juvenile crime, states across the U.S. are introducing a wave of juvenile justice bills, with nearly every state considering some form of legislation. These bills range from creating alternatives to incarceration for teens to imposing harsher penalties for young offenders. Maryland, among others, has passed a law that extends the juvenile justice system to include 10-year-olds arrested for serious offenses, offering them diversion programs as an alternative to punishment. Advocates argue that prosecuting young offenders as minors and expanding diversion programs reduces recidivism and the risk of sexual assault in adult prisons.
