RALEIGH, N.C. — More young people accused of serious crimes in North Carolina would have their cases tried automatically in adult court, under legislation that received final General Assembly approval on Wednesday. The changes would rework some bipartisan juvenile justice reforms that took effect over four years ago addressing 16- and 17-year-old offenders.— with the support of a lobbying group representing elected local prosecutors — to what is known as the “Raise the Age” law.
Bill supporters have argued the changes aren’t rolling back “Raise the Age,” but are merely adjustments to reflect practical realities of the criminal justice system — juvenile-court cases for district attorneys are growing, and putting them in adult court to begin with will ease their loads. “The system is working the way it should now,” Morey said. “Rolling back ‘Raise the Age’ with this bill by inventing a fiction of what a juvenile is based on a crime and not the age is the wrong way to go.” Two other former judges in the House also spoke against the Senate provisions.