Is D.C. Soft on Juvenile Offenders?

"In the first case, I was walking with my friends when I saw the girl by the bus stop. I walked with her for about ten minutes; I was asking her name. We were walking towards her house and stopped. I unzipped my pants. She said get off me. At first I thought she was playing, so I didn't stop, but then she pushed me away and got mad; she went home. I zipped up my pants and then left."

"In the second case, I was sitting next [to another] girl on the bus on the way to school. I asked her to come over to my house; she said no. We got off the bus at [in Northeast Washington] and we walked together to the next bus stop. She was walking with me until I grabbed her by her coat and told her to come to the alley.

"I [exposed himself]. She got mad and said she was calling her mother on her cellphone. When she pressed the buttons, I left."

This account is from a 16-year-old boy who on Jan. 3, 2007, entered a plea of involvement in two cases of third-degree sexual abuse.

In a psychosexual evaluation the court received Feb. 22, a psychologist stated that the boy's "lack of understanding of the disturbed nature of his actions, nonchalant description of the offenses, and recent noncompliance with court-ordered requirements suggest a HIGH likelihood of him reoffending. It is strongly recommended that [he] be detained and provided appropriate sex-offender treatment."

Contrary to this evaluation, the recommendation of the court and court social services' recommendation for residential placement, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services released the 16-year-old for outpatient treatment.

Why cite this case?

There is grumbling in judicial and police circles that the agency, directed by Vincent N. Schiraldi, is prematurely releasing into the community juveniles who have committed serious offenses.

Schiraldi is highly regarded as an expert in juvenile justice and is a strong advocate of reducing reliance on incarceration to solve social problems. He prefers to direct juveniles who have not committed serious offenses and who don't pose great safety risks into community- and family-focused programs -- a sensible approach.

Schiraldi, a social worker, is high on Mayor Adrian Fenty's list. While campaigning last year, Fenty told me that Schiraldi was one Williams administration official whom he would keep on the job. "Vinnie is the kind of leader who thinks outside of the box," Fenty said.

But Schiraldi's critics regard him as a soft touch whom streetwise youths can skillfully manipulate. Some juvenile defendants, one critic said, actually ask to be committed to the department's custody because they know they won't be securely detained.

The same official said that Schiraldi is abdicating his responsibility to factor public safety into decisions on whether to release juvenile offenders from secure detention.