1850: The Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School (Hickey) began as the House of Refuge on Frederick Avenue in
Baltimore City. It was an early effort to separate children from adult criminals in jails.
1910: Renamed the Maryland School for Boys, the school moved to its present site near Loch Raven in
northern Baltimore County.
1918: Became the Maryland Training School for Boys.
1985: The School was named in honor of Charles H. Hickey, Jr., a former Baltimore County sheriff. For youth
awaiting trial, Hickey cared for and treated some 300 delinquent boys and young men, ages 15-17, serving as a
detention center for youth awaiting trial and as a training school for youth committed by the court.
1991-2004: Hickey was run by private firms under contract with the State of Maryland until April 2004, when
the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) converted it from private to public management. Improvements
were made with respect to "quality of life" factors (i.e., food, clothing, and personal items) and the population was quickly downsized by approximately 25%, fluctuating between 165 and 185 youth.
On July 1, 2004, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., announced the Maryland State Department of Education's
new role in directing the educational program at Hickey, reflecting the first phase of the Administration's plan to expand educational services at all DJS facilities.
2005: On June 30, 2005, Governor Ehrlich ordered Hickey to close and be replaced with a new regional
detention center as part of a broad plan to reform DJS. The Ehrlich Administration also entered into an
agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to implement key reforms to strengthen health and education
services for youth in the State's juvenile facilities. Those reforms include improved special education, mental
health and medical services, and enhanced safety and suicide prevention measures and are consistent with
other reform activities already implemented by DJS.
Following the Governor’s order to close Hickey in two phases, the 130-bed committed residential programs
closed November 28, 2005. Youth formerly in the programs were served by smaller, private residential
programs or through services provided in their homes and communities. Parents were involved in all phases of
youth transition/placement and arrangements were made for twice monthly out-of-state parental visits.
Staff was reassigned to existing vacancies within Hickey and/or transferred to vacant positions at DJS. No jobs
were lost.
Phase two called for the replacement of the existing 72-bed detention center with a new, state-of-the-art
regional detention. Details of this new facility will be determined by DJS' Facilities Master Plan, which will be presented to the General Assembly in 2006.
The current detention center will remain operational until the new detention facility is created to meet the
needs of the region.
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