Maryland is at a pivotal moment in its approach to youth justice. With Vinny Schiraldi stepping down as Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), the state has the opportunity to reflect on meaningful progress — and recommit to building a system that protects communities by investing in the potential of young people.
Schiraldi brought to Maryland a rare combination of vision, compassion and data-driven leadership. He believed deeply in young people’s capacity to grow and change, and he built a strategy for public safety that prioritized opportunity over punishment.
One of the most significant initiatives during his tenure was the creation of the Thrive Academy, a targeted response to youth gun violence. By identifying youth at highest risk and surrounding them with intensive support and supervision, the department achieved remarkable results: fewer than 2% of participants became victims of gun violence, none lost their lives, and more than 80% avoided arrest for gun-related offenses. Thrive received national recognition with the 2024 Inspiration Innovation Award from the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators.
Schiraldi also reimagined how Maryland responds to youth charged with serious offenses. Rather than detaining them for months pretrial, DJS provided wraparound services that emphasized accountability and support. Of the 63 young people in the pilot, nearly all appeared for court, and only three were rearrested.
These were not isolated wins. During Schiraldi’s tenure, youth-involved shootings in Baltimore dropped by two-thirds and youth homicides fell by 45%. These numbers reflect lives saved, families spared grief and communities made safer.
Inside the department, Schiraldi tackled long-standing staffing challenges by investing in recruitment and retention, cutting vacancy rates in residential programs by nearly 70%. He expanded educational and vocational opportunities for young people in custody and implemented evidence-based programming for those awaiting placement, ensuring they didn’t fall further behind.
Perhaps most notably, he fostered a spirit of collaboration — working across state agencies, building stronger ties with families and communities, and championing a whole-of-government approach to public safety that includes housing, education, mental health care and family support.
These achievements reflect not just one leader’s vision but a shared commitment across systems and communities to do better for young people. They also reflect something broader.
Transforming a correctional system from the inside is extraordinarily hard work. As leaders who’ve walked that road, guiding reform in New York and Delaware, we know how complex and often lonely that work can be. Schiraldi has taken on those challenges repeatedly, from his early days leading D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to New York City probation and now in Maryland.
When he began more than two decades ago, the idea that you could lead real reform from within was almost unheard of. Today, it is a growing movement.
As co-chair and steering committee member of Youth Correctional Leaders for Justice (YCLJ), we work with more than 70 current and former system leaders who are committed to youth-centered transformation. Many of them cite Schiraldi as an inspiration, proof that it’s possible to lead with values, prioritize growth over punishment and still deliver real safety. These leaders, and the thousands of young people whose lives they have helped redirect, are part of his enduring legacy.
As Maryland turns the page, Gov. Wes Moore’s appointment of Betsy Fox Tolentino as secretary ensures continuity. Her deep knowledge of the department and commitment to youth-centered approaches are encouraging signs that the progress made can continue and grow.
Change is never easy. It takes courage to move beyond outdated approaches and trust in solutions that offer hope instead of fear. Vinny Schiraldi’s leadership in Maryland offers a powerful example of what’s possible when we center compassion, evidence and equity. His legacy will be felt far beyond the walls of DJS — and will continue to inspire what comes next.
