SALISBURY, Md. - Wicomico County State's Attorney Jamie Dykes, along with several other State's Attorneys from across the state, gave a briefing to the Judiciary Committee on an increase of youth crime.
“Salisbury is in the middle of a gang war,” said State’s Attorney Dykes. “You have charged law enforcement with keeping the peace and protecting the community – all while their hands are tied behind their backs.”
The Office of the Wicomico County State's Attorney says that Dykes' comments focused on the Child Interrogation Protection Act, which was enacted last year. Dykes says the law basically prevents law enforcement from interviewing underage suspects, which has a negative effect on its ability to investigate crime.
Dykes referenced a shooting in April that left a child dead.
“It is our children who are more likely to be killed by juveniles wielding guns,” said State’s Attorney Dykes. “[Since then,] Salisbury has had 13 related shootings with numerous other victims.”
Dykes says that all of this youth violence came to a head on July 5, when a 15-year-old boy was killed and seven other wounded in a mass shooting.
The office says the briefing comes after Governor Wes Moore's recent comments stressing the need to address youth crime. They say Dykes has been working with lawmakers to draft legislation to remedy the problem, including:
- Increasing the ability of the juvenile court to supervise and provide services to youth
- Revising the interrogation law to give law enforcement more investigative tools
- Enhancing penalties for repeat offenders that commit crimes using guns.
