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Statement

Raising the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction Will ‘Advance Justice, Strengthen Families’ in North Carolina, Moms Leader Says

June 23, 2017
Maternal Health

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising.org, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 42,000 North Carolina members and more than 1 million mothers and their families across the country, on the “raise the age” victory in North Carolina
“We commend North Carolina state legislators for raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction for misdemeanors and low-level felonies in the budget they passed yesterday. This puts an end to the days when 16- and 17-year-olds were automatically prosecuted as adults, even for the most minor offenses. This action will advance justice and strengthen families and communities in the state.
 
“North Carolina was the last state in the country that automatically charged 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in its criminal justice system. When Governor Cooper signs this bill, that counterproductive practice will finally end and 16- and 17-year-olds who commit minor offenses will no longer be prosecuted as adults and will be able to access developmentally appropriate services.
 
“As mothers, we know very well that 16- and 17-year-olds are not adults. They do not belong in adult jails, which put them at high risk for physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and suicide. They do not deserve to be saddled with criminal records that can follow them for the rest of their lives, making it more difficult for them to go to college, find jobs and housing, and contribute to society.
 
“Teenagers make mistakes and when those mistakes are non-violent crimes, they should be handled by the juvenile justice system. Trying 16- and 17-year-olds who make one bad decision as adults and pushing them into adult prisons is terrible policy; research shows that it fails to improve public safety while fostering crime, costing society more over time and wasting young lives. MomsRising’s North Carolina members have been working for years to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction in the state, so youthful offenders have the chance to change course. Our youth, families, communities and our state are better off because of the action legislators took yesterday.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.