Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi said he resigned as head of the state agency responsible for rehabilitating children entangled with the legal system.

Gov. Wes Moore’s office announced Monday they’d appointed his replacement, Betsy Fox Tolentino, as acting secretary, but did not confirm Schiraldi’s resignation.

Schiraldi said he’s leaving his post because the persistent negative media attention on him and a small number of youth committing crimes could inhibit positive change.

“I fear that so much of the negative attention that’s focused on me can be a stumbling block to forward progress,” he said. “There’s just constant reporting on this department that has 2,000 kids in it, most of whom do fine every day.”

Tolentino, a veteran in the youth justice field, will leave her post as managing director of juvenile and young adult justice initiatives at The Roca Impact Institute, an anti-violence initiative. Schiraldi said he recommended Tolentino as his successor, and she will start June 11.

“We knew when we took office that the [Department of Juveniles Services] was one of the most troubled in all of State government,” Moore said in a statement. “We need to continue to move fast and diligently in order to turn it around.”

Schiraldi has pushed to reform the treatment of youths throughout his career, and criticism has typically followed, including previous stints in Washington, D.C., and New York City. During the summer of 2023, Baltimore and other jurisdictions saw an uptick in auto thefts by adults but also from teens, drawing news coverage and complaints from local prosecutors and lawmakers.

Schiraldi called this a well-worn formula that he’s seen repeatedly over his tenure, even when youth crime is down.

“I’m in this 45 years, and most of that time incarceration grew,” he said, “And ne’er-do-well politicians thumped their chest, got on the evening news and talked about making things tougher on mostly young Black men and boys.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott thanked Schiraldi for his service and called Tolentino a “well-respected leader” who will be able to “hit the ground running.”

”However, we must know that this work does not fail or succeed with one individual," he said, and committed to working with the governor and youth legal system partners.

The Senate Republican Caucus said in a news release on the heels of Moore’s announcement that Schiraldi’s removal was “long overdue.”

Republicans in the Maryland Senate voted against Schiraldi’s confirmation and are now saying his departure validates their decision. They also pointed fingers at Moore for backing his pick to reform an embattled agency riddled with challenges.

“For months, Governor Moore defended the indefensible,” Sen. Justin Ready said in a statement. “This change in leadership is welcome, but it doesn’t erase the damage already done under Schiraldi — or the fact that the Governor stood by while this department fell deeper into crisis.”

Alice Wilkerson convenes the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition, a group of advocates and researchers who back evidence-based reforms to the youth legal system.

In a statement, Wilkerson expressed disappointment in Schiraldi’s departure and urged state leaders to support the incoming acting secretary.

“It is unfortunate that personal and political attacks on Secretary Schiraldi have overshadowed the significant changes and innovative programs launched under his leadership,” Wilkerson said.

Schiraldi said he had been planning to leave his state job later this year, but told the Moore administration that he was flexible on when that would take place. Not wanting a possible departure to be leaked, Schiraldi said, the Moore administration suggested sooner would be better.

Schiraldi and Tolentino have previously worked together, including at the Department of Juvenile Services, and he was pleased she accepted the job.

Schiraldi said he plans on taking the summer off and to continue working to end mass incarceration. He wished Moore luck in his goals to reduce crime and end child poverty.

“If he’s able to achieve it, it will really impact not only crime amongst young people, but also lots of other outcomes,” he said.