Juvenile court proceedings could undergo a significant change if a new bill makes its way to Governor Roy Cooper’s desk.
The Raise the Age Law has undergone a significant revision with the recent approval of modifications by the House. This includes a redefinition of Juvenile Delinquent. The only remaining step is for Governor Cooper to sign off on the changes.
In 2019, the Raise the Age law was implemented, which initiated the handling of criminal cases for juveniles in Juvenile Court.
In the previous month, the Senate, which is controlled by the Republicans, made alterations to the aforementioned legislation and transmitted it to the House.
According to Representative Ted Davis Jr., the bill can be summarized as follows:
It modifies the definition of delinquent juvenile relating to juveniles who are 16 and 17 years old to exclude any offense punishable as a class A, B1, B2, C, D, or E felony if committed by an adult.
The bill received a favorable vote of 70 to 34 from the House.
Law firms classify crimes such as arson, armed robbery, and murder as high-level felonies.
Mayor Don Hardy of Kinston believes that the passing of this legislation, which is on the verge of becoming law, could serve as a deterrent for juvenile offenders.
Especially with violent crimes, I think what we see now is repeat offenders doing the same thing over again because they just get a slap on the wrist for some of these particular charges.
Mayor Hardy and local law enforcement have been actively working to address the increase in juvenile crime in Kinston.
Mayor Hardy believes that being tried as an adult can serve as a wake-up call for kids, motivating them to get back on the right track.
If it was a higher class charge, if it was a felony, being tried as an adult, then that would be a deterrent for some of those that are committing some of these crimes and hopefully they’ll think twice about their actions.
Despite our efforts, we were unable to receive a response from any officials associated with this bill.