Attorney General Schwalb Applauds DC Council for Unanimously Passing ROAD Act

Legislation Introduced by Office of the Attorney General Would Reduce Recidivism & Improve Public Safety Outcomes in the Juvenile Justice System


Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today released the following statement after the Council voted unanimously to pass the Recidivism Reduction at DYRS Amendment Act — the “ROAD Act” — legislation introduced by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to improve public safety outcomes in the juvenile justice system and ensure that young people committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) are less likely to commit criminal offenses once released.

“Kids who break the law must face consequences for their actions, and District leaders must do everything in our power to ensure that after a young person is arrested and prosecuted, they don’t go on to commit another offense,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “The ROAD Act is a critical and constructive step towards reducing recidivism and improving public safety outcomes in the juvenile justice system. Chairman Mendelson and Councilmember Parker deserve enormous credit for championing this bill and ensuring its swift passage. Thank you to the entire Council for supporting it and recognizing the urgent need for these reforms.”

In the most serious criminal cases, young people who are arrested, prosecuted, and found responsible for an offense are committed to DYRS. From then on, DYRS is responsible for providing effective supervision and intervention to youth in its custody and reducing the likelihood that they will re-offend. The most recent and comprehensive data from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council — a 2022 longitudinal study of juvenile system outcomes — reveals that nearly half of young people committed to DYRS are subsequently convicted of a new offense.

 The ROAD Act:

  • Requires DYRS to reform its supervision and intervention practices to ensure improved public safety outcomes and reductions in recidivism among committed young people.
     
  • Strengthens the DC Superior Court’s authority to intervene if it becomes clear that DYRS is not providing timely and appropriate services and placements for young people in its care.  
     
  • Mandates permanent, independent oversight of DYRS to increase accountability and transparency regarding its operations.


OAG’s Efforts to Improve Public Safety

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) uses every legal tool available to address and reduce violent crime, especially crime involving firearms. OAG is the District’s chief prosecutor of crimes committed by juveniles, while the federally appointed US Attorney prosecutes most crimes committed by adults, including all adult felonies. 

OAG prosecutes all serious juvenile violent offenses when it has the evidence to do so, holding kids accountable when they cause harm while working to make sure they get the rehabilitative resources needed to help prevent them from re-offending. Last year, OAG prosecuted 88% of the most serious cases brought to it, including homicide and attempted homicide, and 81% of gun possession cases.

Earlier this year, AG Schwalb, in cooperation with Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, sued three Maryland gun stores for facilitating illegal gun trafficking into the District, in an effort to combat the flood of illegal weapons into DC that is fueling much of the deadly violence. Per ATF, approximately 95% of illegal firearms recovered in DC were originally purchased elsewhere, usually in Maryland or Virginia. 

OAG defends the District’s common-sense gun laws—including prohibitions on large-capacity magazines and carrying firearms on public transportation—against legal challenges, and seeks Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), when appropriate, to remove firearms and ammunition from those who pose a danger to themselves or others. 

Last March, Attorney General Schwalb announced $1.5 million in new grant funding – a combination of public-private partnerships – for 11 “Leaders of Tomorrow” youth violence prevention awardees, which are high-impact local nonprofit organizations serving DC youth and families. These grants build on OAG’s commitment to critical prevention work, which alongside effective policing and prosecution, is an essential part of any comprehensive public safety strategy. These grants were renewed in September.

Additionally, OAG filed and won a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against ghost gun manufacturer Polymer80, which was selling online kits that enabled individuals to build untraceable ghost guns in their homes. As a result, Polymer80 was ordered to pay more than $4 million in penalties and to permanently stop selling its frames, receivers, and Buy, Build, Shoot kits to DC consumers.

OAG funds and supports Cure the Streets, a community-based violence-reduction program that employs a targeted public-health approach to disrupt cycles of gun violence in District neighborhoods that traditionally have the highest rates of gun violence. In 2023, despite District-wide increases in gun violence, the rates of violent gun crimes across Cure The Streets’ 10 target communities decreased. 

OAG also works to address some of the conditions that may make kids more likely to commit crimes, including truancy. OAG’s ATTEND program works to combat truancy and keep kids in school by addressing the underlying issues causing chronic absenteeism while minimizing the likelihood of repeat referrals.