Juvenile Justice: A System in Transition—Reaffirming Commitment to Youth and Community Safety
North Carolina made national progress in 2019 by enacting the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include most 16- and 17-year-olds. This long-overdue reform, known as Raise the Age, was designed to ensure that youth charged with low-level offenses could be held accountable in developmentally appropriate ways—reducing harm and improving public safety.
However, in 2023, much of this progress was reversed as Juvenile Justice Modifications, passed during the last legislative session, significantly rolled back key provisions of Raise the Age. This law allows more 16- and 17-year-olds—especially those charged with certain felony offenses—to be transferred into the adult criminal system earlier and more frequently, limiting the discretion of juvenile court and undermining the developmental framework that had guided prior reforms.
The Impact: A Step Backward for Youth and Public Safety
The original Raise the Age policy was based on clear evidence: youth processed in the juvenile system have lower recidivism rates, better access to services, and are more likely to re-engage in school, work, and their communities. The adult criminal system, by contrast, exposes teens to harmful environments, provides few rehabilitative supports, and burdens them with permanent criminal records—harming their long-term prospects and weakening community safety.
Recent changes to Raise the Age policy threaten to undo these gains by:
- Increasing early transfer to adult court without full consideration of individual circumstances.
- Reducing judicial discretion, shifting decisions toward automatic prosecutorial referrals.
- Limiting access to critical youth-specific services, including education, counseling, and family engagement.
Where We Go From Here: A Call for Meaningful, Balanced Reform
This moment calls for renewed commitment—not a retreat—from building a justice system that meets both the needs of youth and the expectations of safe, thriving communities. Moving forward, North Carolina must:
- Restore flexibility and fairness in youth transfer decisions.
- Invest in community-based services and alternatives to incarceration that address root causes of behavior.
- Strengthen the juvenile system’s capacity to provide effective supervision, mental health care, and educational support.
- Engage families and communities as key partners in preventing youth crime and supporting rehabilitation.
- Ensure sufficient funding and infrastructure for the juvenile system to meet the increased demand and deliver quality services statewide.
CCJR’s Ongoing Work
CCJR remains deeply committed to advancing fair, effective, and developmentally appropriate responses to youth behavior.
We believe youth deserve the opportunity to be held accountable in ways that promote growth, not permanent punishment—and we believe North Carolina communities deserve solutions that work.
