HB632 would raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to age 18 in North Carolina. We are one of the last two states to prosecute 16-year-olds as adults. There’s all kinds of evidence that it’s inappropriate and costly to do so. Sixteen-year-olds can’t sign a contract, vote, join the service or drink. But in North Carolina, they can go to prison.
At age 16, I was referred to the Juvenile Court in New Orleans. From that experience I decided I would go to college and come back and run the court — and I did as director/chief probation officer. Had I been in North Carolina, I may not have had that opportunity, as I would have been handled as an adult — at age 16.
I may also not have had the opportunity to receive an appointment as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, be a federal probation officer or director of a large, award-winning juvenile justice department.
It’s way past time for North Carolina to get with the 48 other states and raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction. Only 5 percent of arrests are for serious violent offenses, and there can be transfer provisions to adult court for these.
McGuire is director of the nonprofit agency Child Abuse Prevention Services.