Maryland § 3-8A-02

§ 3-8A-02.

    (a)    The purposes of this subtitle are:

        (1)    To ensure that the Juvenile Justice System balances the following objectives for children who have committed delinquent acts:

            (i)    Public safety and the protection of the community;

            (ii)    Accountability of the child to the victim and the community for offenses committed; and

            (iii)    Competency and character development to assist children in becoming responsible and productive members of society;

        (2)    To hold parents of children found to be delinquent responsible for the child’s behavior and accountable to the victim and the community;

        (3)    To hold parents of children found to be delinquent or in need of supervision responsible, where possible, for remedying the circumstances that required the court’s intervention;

        (4)    To provide for the care, protection, and wholesome mental and physical development of children coming within the provisions of this subtitle; and to provide for a program of treatment, training, and rehabilitation consistent with the child’s best interests and the protection of the public interest;

        (5)    To conserve and strengthen the child’s family ties and to separate a child from his parents only when necessary for his welfare or in the interest of public safety;

        (6)    If necessary to remove a child from his home, to secure for him custody, care, and discipline as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given by his parents;

        (7)    To provide to children in State care and custody:

            (i)    A safe, humane, and caring environment; and

            (ii)    Access to required services; and

        (8)    To provide judicial procedures for carrying out the provisions of this subtitle.

    (b)    This subtitle shall be liberally construed to effectuate these purposes.