Betsy Fox Tolentino hasn’t quite moved into her new office as head of Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services, but she’s optimistic she can steer the high-profile agency despite its challenges and the political pressure to deliver.

The acting secretary, in her first interview since taking the position, called one of the most scrutinized cabinet roles in Gov. Wes Moore’s administration her “dream job.”

A seasoned youth justice professional with long-standing relationships in Maryland, Tolentino said she has already met with law enforcement officials, toured agency facilities, spoken with staff and their union and began digging into data to get a firm grip on an accurate picture of youth crime.

“I’m so excited to be back here,” said the former juvenile services deputy secretary, “and I am incredibly honored to be able to lead this agency at such a pivotal time.”

Moore named her to succeed Vincent Schiraldi in June and explained his decision came down to speed. Schiraldi had made progress, but Moore said in a radio interview that Tolentino had what it took to meet his “philosophy of urgency.” Moore has said he’ll recommend Tolentino’s appointment to the state Senate for full confirmation once they reconvene.

Tolentino said where the agency “really needs to move fast” is in aligning resources with strategies to get the best outcomes for children, communities and public safety “so that we are building trust and confidence around our system.”

The agency, she said, needs to support public safety, help children succeed and ensure frontline staff can do their jobs.

That’s the same marching orders she’s gotten from Moore, who has directed her to take a “comprehensive look” at the agency so it can deliver on its mission to rehabilitate young people who’ve gotten in trouble with the law. He wants her to “really understand our decision making,” she said.

“I very much do believe I have the support that I need from the governor and his team right now,” she said.

Under Schiraldi, the agency faced criticism from police and prosecutors for how they held children accountable under the law.

Prosecutors and police often complained the agency was releasing children to parents and guardians that they believed should have been detained. And Schiraldi’s matter-of-fact defense of his agency’s operations and his plans to address problems often frustrated lawmakers during committee hearings.

In May, The Banner reported about half of the staff of a Western Maryland youth detention center were on leave because they had been assaulted by teens being treated there. Staff working at the Green Ridge Youth Detention Center said they no longer had the tools to hold youths accountable after they physically attacked frontline workers.

Schiraldi said he resigned because the constant media scrutiny of him had become a “distraction” to the agency’s work.

Youth justice advocates and others who have worked with Tolentino said she has a deep understanding of Maryland’s agency, having worked for roughly 18 years in multiple roles inside and outside the department. And she’ll benefit from her history with prosecutors and the law enforcement community, relationships Schiraldi didn’t have.

Tolentino most recently worked for anti-violence nonprofit The Roca Impact Institute as its managing director of juvenile and young adult justice initiatives. Before that, the attorney worked for the juvenile services agency under the two previous administrations, rising to deputy secretary of community operations under former Gov. Larry Hogan.

Lawmakers who have previously worked with her say Tolentino knows the department from the inside out and will build a firm foundation for agency operations.

Sen. Will Smith, a Montgomery County Democrat and chair of a Senate committee responsible for reviewing criminal justice laws, commended Tolentino for taking on what he called a ”tough role.”

“She’s well equipped to handle the pressure,” he said. “and she knows that department almost better than anyone I know.”

Though she will be different than Schiraldi, Del. Luke Clippinger said, “I think that people are still going to be looking closely at the operations of this agency — it’s an important agency." Clippinger, a Baltimore Democrat, chairs the Maryland House Judiciary Committee and played a pivotal role in tightening juvenile laws in 2024.

Lawmakers said their biggest concerns are maintaining safety for kids and staff in facilities and better tracking of kids’ outcomes.

Tolentino said that there are many differences between her and Schiraldi — she didn’t list them — but there are also similarities.

Any leader in the youth justice field, she said, is there because they “deeply care about getting our young people what they need to succeed and being a really important partner in supporting public safety.”

Hard conversations will come, but Tolentino said she’ll listen to law enforcement partners, community members and staff. She wants to deal in facts and share stories of good outcomes, she said.

“We just can’t rely on one thing to help ensure the narrative accurately reflects what is happening day to day,” she said.

The Maryland Public Defender Natasha M. Dartigue, whose office represents youths accused of crimes, called Tolentino “an advocate with a longstanding commitment to transformative youth services.“

“Incarcerating young people is never the answer to the challenges our communities face,” Dartigue said.

“We are hopeful that her leadership will continue to drive necessary reforms,” said Alice Wilkerson, of the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition, adding her hope that “best practices are upheld and that she receives the support of state leaders throughout her tenure.”

Outspoken state’s attorneys have continued to argue for more say in case assessments, something that the state, with exceptions for certain violent crimes, has largely placed in the hands of the juvenile services agencies. Prosecutors lobbied lawmakers and won more oversight of youth criminal cases in 2024, including gun possession cases.

“Obviously, the replacing of Schiraldi with someone else indicates that he [Gov. Moore] wasn’t satisfied with the direction that Schiraldi was headed,” Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson said. Gibson, as former head of the Maryland State’s Attorneys Association, often represented prosecutors’ positions before the General Assembly.

Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger said he’s worked with Tolentino before and “knows her very well.” He said he sent her a congratulatory text telling her he was looking forward to working together.

Shellenberger said he’d like to see better response times from the agency when teens on ankle monitors have violated their curfews.

“I’m hopeful that she can really lead the changes and solidify the things that I think need to happen,” Shellenberger said.

Tolentino texted him back to say that she was looking forward to working with him, too.