- Target:
- NC Senate and Legislature
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.campaignforyouthjustice.org
With the creation of juvenile courts more than a century ago, Americans denied using criminal courts and incarceration as punitive measures of juveniles.
Unfortunately twenty first century policy makers and legislators are embracing the exact opposite by relying on the criminal justice system to handle juveniles, the future of America. Because juveniles have not reached the level of adult maturity, prosecuting them as adults in the criminal justice system is neither ethical nor productive. North Carolina is a state where juveniles of ages 16 and 17 are automatically prosecuted in adult court.
By raising the age of prosecution, not only will the juveniles be given a chance to reform in the juvenile justice system and re-enter the society as productive adults, but they will also be saved from the horrendous experiences they might face in adult prisons, some of which include sexual abuse, mental trauma leading to suicide attempts, and criminals’ influences.
Please sign the petition and help this effort to save the NC juveniles. Thank You.
Raise the Age of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction
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 This outdated practice has been going on since the early 1900s, and it is time to end it.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.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Stop prosecution of juveniles in adult court! petition to NC Senate and Legislature was written by Ami Patel and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.