Category: Juvenile Crime

A new law has just gone into effect in North Carolina, known as “Raise the Age.” As of December 1st, 2019, North Carolina courts are no longer automatically trying 16- and 17-year-old offenders as adults. 

Instead, some crimes committed by older minors may remain in juvenile court instead of being elevated. Learn more here about what led to this shift in thinking, how the “Raise the Age” initiative affects other North Carolina laws, and when older minors can still be charged as an adult. 

After 100 Years, What Initiated the Shift in NC

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Growing up is difficult, and if your child has certain risk factors, he or she may be more likely to “cross over” into delinquency.

This is a big deal, because if a child aged under 16 years old commits a criminal act, it will be defined as a delinquent act and he or she can be subject to penalties under the North Carolina juvenile justice system. At which point you’ll likely want to enlist the help of an experienced NC juvenile crimes lawyer.

Delinquent acts can be disruptions of public order or crimes [...]

Halloween pranks and partying can be harmless fun. However, if your teen gets involved in the wrong kind of “fun,” he or she could be arrested. North Carolina law enforcement officials will be on the lookout this Halloween for criminal misbehavior, so it’s important to make sure your teen knows what’s okay and what isn’t.

In this post, we’re going to cover the most common pranks and activities that get North Carolina teens in trouble on Halloween, and what you can do to fight back if your teen gets arrested.

Vandalism

When a [...]

Parents of North Carolina adolescents and teens have all kinds of things to worry about when it comes to their kids. Will they get good grades? Stay safe? Keep away from drugs and alcohol? Not get pressured into sex too early? Make the right choices so they can have a good future?

The possibility of getting arrested for some kind of crime is just one more worry, but it’s a big one. After all, being charged with a juvenile offense can lead to serious repercussions that can drastically knock your child off course.[...]

This summer, our state passed a law stating that juveniles who are 16 and 17 will no longer be automatically charged as adults for misdemeanors and low-level felonies. We were the last state in the entire country to “raise the age” of juveniles in court, so it’s something that is long overdue.

Unfortunately, this law doesn’t fully go into effect until December 2019 – more than two years from now. So in the meantime, 16- and 17-year-olds can still be charged as adults.

Why Did North Carolina Finally Decide to “Raise the Age”?

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