State's Attorney Ivan Bates Challenges Privacy Laws Over Youth Diversion Program Data

BALTIMORE, Md. — Ivan Bates, the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, is contemplating a lawsuit against the Mayor’s Office regarding access to information from a juvenile diversion program known as SideStep.

The SideStep initiative, which operated as a pilot program from 2022 to 2024, aimed to divert youth aged 10 to 17 away from the criminal justice system for certain offenses. Managed by the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) in collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department, the program sought to provide alternative programming for participants.

Bates has expressed frustration over his office's inability to obtain specific participant data from the program, despite his attempts to communicate directly with Mayor Brandon Scott. Bates indicated that even after a meeting where he requested this information, he has not received any follow-up.

According to MONSE, Bates first inquired about the program’s details in May, and while they did provide some aggregated data in July, they cited state juvenile justice privacy laws as a barrier to sharing individual participant information.

Bates argues that constitutional considerations should override these privacy statutes. He emphasized the necessity for his office to have access to participant identities to effectively perform their duties in court, particularly when assessing the criminal histories of young defendants.

“We still need the names of the young people because why? We're in front of the judge,” Bates stated, highlighting the importance of having comprehensive information during legal proceedings.

A recent report from the Baltimore City Office of Inspector General raised concerns about MONSE’s data management practices and highlighted issues with grant reimbursements related to the SideStep program. Additionally, police officers expressed dissatisfaction with the program, noting that some participants appeared to engage in more serious criminal activities after their diversion.

Bates has called for a review of the existing laws governing juvenile privacy and the potential need for legislative change to ensure that prosecutors have the necessary information to uphold public safety in Baltimore.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).