Raising the Age: Keeping Youth Out of The Justice System
The Center received a notice of award from the NC Governor’s Crime Commission (NC GCC) stating our “Raise the Age” proposal would be funded. This initiative focuses on the “Raise the Age” legislation in NC which raised the age of a legally defined juvenile from under 16 to under 18 years of age
Studies show the state juvenile justice system will be greatly impacted by this legislation with a potential 30% to 40% increase in admissions to community based programs, juvenile court, detention, and youth development centers.
Our project provides additional staff support to Teen Courts and Parenting Wisely with specific focus on targeted youth 16 and 17 years of age. JJRI staff will develop service plans and secure wraparound services to meet the needs of this population to insure successful completion of the project. Reducing the number of adolescents involved in the justice system is a major step towards strengthening counties across North Carolina.