Greetings,

I recently learned that North Carolina, unlike every other state in the nation except New York, still prosecutes all 16- and 17-year-olds in the adult criminal justice system, with no exceptions or waivers. This outdated practice has been going on since the early 1900s, and it is time to end it. I am writing to urge you to support raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 16 to 18, and to thank you if you already do.

Of the more than 30,000 minors in North Carolina adult system, more than 85% of them have committed minor crimes. I support gradually phasing 16- and 17-year-olds out of the adult system and into the juvenile system, while retaining judicial authority to send minors to the adult system for any felony (see HB 1414, 2009 session). A legislative task force is currently creating an implementation plan for raising the age. The group will report out in January 2011. For more information about the task force, please visit http://www.ncdjjdp.org/taskForce.html.

I have signed on to the Raise the Age Statement of Principles. Will you? Please contact Brandy Bynum at Action for Children North Carolina (brandy@ncchild.org) or Ami Patel at (app_93@yahoo.com)  to sign on or for more information about the science and policy behind raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction.

Thank you.