GOP leadership wants DJS secretary to resign
* Updated with responses from the governor and DJS *
Republican lawmakers are calling for the resignation of state Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Donald DeVore, citing his "lack of leadership" of the embattled agency. A teacher was killed at one of the state facilities last month, and a juvenile who'd been housed there is a suspect in the attack.
Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, minority leader of the House of Delegates, said he had a telephone conversation today with Gov. Martin O'Malley to express his concerns. He also delivered a letter to the Democratic governor. "The governor indicated he was kind of surprised" by the call but appreciated it, O'Donnell said.
Through a spokesman, O'Malley said he has "full confidence" in DeVore.
"Our department is in deep, deep trouble," O'Donnell said at a brief press conference this afternoon at the State House.
O'Donnell singled out as particularly disturbing the death of teacher Hannah Wheeling, 65, at Cheltenham Youth Facility in Prince George's County, and a recent U.S. Department of Justice report about staff-on-juvenile sexual assaults at Backbone Youth Facility in Western Maryland. "This cries out for a leadership change," he said.
DeVore told lawmakers in January that the sexual assault reports were "exaggerated." He has met privately with lawmakers about the killing but has said little publicly, citing the ongoing Maryland State Police investigation.
O'Donnell said DeVore, who has led DJS for three years, typically delivers "a response of denial to just about every criticism leveled" at the agency, though he said DJS under DeVore has made progress in some areas.
This is not the first time O'Donnell has asked DeVore to step down. In July, reacting to reports about escapes and assaults at Victor Cullen Center, another state facility, he wrote an opinion piece, published in The Baltimore Sun, calling for new leadership of DJS:
The Department of Juvenile Services is in chaos and requires a complete overhaul, starting at the top. The administration's actions in this regard should be shared with the public so we can gain some confidence that this problem is being acknowledged and acted upon. It is time for executive leadership and tough decisions at DJS. Our state deserves no less.
We are seeking responses from DJS and the governor's office and will update this post when they get back to us. Update: The governor's office has issued this statement:
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEYUpdate 2: DJS has this to say (click to read entire statement):
Over the past three years, we’ve driven down violent crime in Maryland to its lowest levels since 1987, including a 46% reduction in juvenile homicides. Real progress is not achieved without the right leadership in place at vital public safety agencies including the Department of Juvenile Services. I have full confidence in Secretary DeVore’s leadership of DJS.
Secretary DeVore's initiative to create unprecedented levels of collaboration with law enforcement, including the Baltimore City Police Department, and other local authorities across the State has made a powerful difference not just in the lives of youth but in communities across Maryland. Secretary DeVore launched a bold vision of reform to make the juvenile justice system work for the youth and citizens of Maryland. This dramatic progress has been no accident.
O'Malley aides have alerted DJS partners to the Republicans' criticism, and agencies appear to be quickly rallying to DeVore's defense:
STATEMENT OF BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONER FREDERICK H. BEALEFELD ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE BPD AND MARYLAND DEPT OF JUVENILE SERVICES
"Through our collaborative efforts with the Department of Juvenile Services and our criminal justice partners, Baltimore significantly reduced juvenile violence including a 45% reduction in juvenile homicides."
"This success would not have been possible without the unprecedented level of collaboration and cooperation with the Department of Juvenile Services under Secretary DeVore's leadership. Secretary DeVore is a vital partner in our efforts to keep children in Baltimore safer."
Comments
Wasn't this juvi crime issue one on which the boy gov based his campaign?
Didn't he scream about Ehrlich not doing anything to improve the agency?
Just like the BGE rate increases he promised to roll back?
Was it all just typical democrap lies?
Posted by: Anonymous | March 4, 2010 4:04 PM
i'm having trouble understanding why every GOP press release is being treated as news the last few weeks. republicans are whining ... so what.
(From Julie: We receive a load of releases from both Republicans and Democrats; not all become stories.)
Posted by: mike | March 4, 2010 4:22 PM
We have been among the harshest critics of the juvenile services agency and are still troubled by the Department's high recidivism rates. However, the agency is moving in the right direction on key priorities, expanding proven community-based services, improving services after a youth leaves a residential program, bringing in experts in the Missouri approach to improve facilities and not rushing to replicate the Victor Cullen Academy until it is tweaked. The agency is more receptive to constructive feedback and more willing to partner with external groups. There are many miles to go, but a change in leadership is not going to improve public safety.
Posted by: Matthew H. Joseph | March 4, 2010 5:07 PM
This looks like naked partisanship, but I thought I read that several Democrat Senators (Muse and Zirkin come to mind) were upset with the way Hickey and Cheltengham have been run? Do some Democrats oppose Devore too?
Posted by: Andrew | March 4, 2010 5:16 PM
If Ehrlich was the governor and this murder happened the Sun and the democratic party would be calling for everyone's head.
But since they have their monopoly it just goes away and ridiculous press releases are accepted as enough on the subject.
O'Malley ripped Ehrlich non stop about the DJS yet this happens on HIS watch.
You can't make this stuff up.
(From Julie: The Sun's newsroom and editorial board have written extensively about Cheltenham. I'm sorry that you seem to have missed that coverage. The above blog post links to several articles. I'd also encourage you to type "Cheltenham" into our Sun search tool at the top right of the site. That should direct you to 42 items.)
Posted by: Mark | March 4, 2010 5:40 PM
Didn't I see something on Channel 13 about the BPD having a juvenile unit that reduced the amount of warrants by several thousand? That seems like a good start to me.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 4, 2010 6:52 PM
It seems that in this case, the "head" of the serpent is not enough...there is a leadership faction, regardless of the change at the Secretary level that needs the most reform. I would venture a guess, that this 'embedded' group, probably a level or two below the Secretary is really running the agency and would have the most influence as to the success and or demise. I would also guess they have been there for a LONG time.
Posted by: Dave Aughenbaugh | March 4, 2010 11:07 PM