State’s Attorney Bates Threatens Legal Action in Dispute Over SideStep Program Data
Baltimore City State’s attorney Ivan Bates is warning of potential litigation against the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and engagement (MONSE) over restricted access to data regarding the SideStep youth diversion program. Bates argues his office needs detailed information about program participants to effectively tailor support services and assess the program’s success.
Bates stated he has faced difficulty obtaining background information on young people involved in SideStep from City Hall. “We need to know their background so we can figure out the programs they need to be involved in,” he said. He alleges that MONSE Director Stefanie Mavronis initially denied his request for this information, and that the Law Department later reinforced that denial. Following a meeting with Mayor Brandon Scott, Bates was told the mayor would follow up, but has yet to receive a response.
“You cannot say we’re all together, we’re working on the same team, there’s openness,” Bates asserted. “When your number one partner – the person who’s involved and in charge of the criminal justice system in terms of baltimore City - you don’t want to share that information, you’re hiding the ball from your teammate.”
The dispute also centers on the program’s reported recidivism rates. While MONSE previously reported to FOX45 News that 21 of 26 participants in Fiscal Year 2024 did not re-offend, a report by Inspector General Isabel cumming revealed that this figure was based on a six-month tracking period. When recidivism was tracked for a longer duration, the rate rose to 40%.
Bates criticized the short-term metric. “I don’t think it’s fair to look at six months.I think you need to look longer, at least a year, maybe a year and a half to really find out if the services are working appropriately,” he argued. He expressed reservations about MONSE’s approach, stating, “I think MONSE means well, but they just don’t know what they’re doing.”
MONSE acknowledged the need for longer-term tracking, with a spokesperson stating that future work “will involve tracking recidivism over time beyond the 6-month metric established as part of the pilot.”
Despite these concerns, MONSE intends to expand SideStep citywide, though no timeline has been established. Bates indicated that if his office doesn’t receive the requested data, legal action is highly likely. “We’re going to most likely look at possibly taking them to court on the civil side,” he said. “I never want to go that direction.”
According to MONSE, the State’s attorney’s Office requested data in May 2025 and received aggregate information in June. The Law Department justified the restriction of access to juvenile records by citing laws passed by the General Assembly that limit the sharing of identifiable juvenile justice information.
Bates countered this argument, stating, “I think the Constitution would trump that statute.” He believes diversion decisions should involve his prosecutors and that, if programs aren’t managed solely by his office, they should be implemented in partnership with the Department of Juvenile Services.
Bates envisions a collaborative approach where,”We would sit down and say,okay,this is a young person. And then MONSE could be the one that then refers this young person to the local facility or the group that’s going to work with them.” He believes MONSE’s role should be supportive, stating, “There’s a role for MONSE that’s not in the leadership. It’s in the backseat to allow the professionals to do the job.”
