Wilmington Star calls on legislators to be smart on crime, not try juveniles as adults. #ncpol #ncga

Published May 22, 2017

By StarNews Editorial Board

North Carolina is now the last state in the Union that prosecutes 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. (New York, the only other holdout, is now phasing out the practice.)

That could soon change, however, as a brave, bipartisan band of Tar Heel legislators seems on the verge of raising the age of juvenile prosecutions. They need to hold their ground, though, and hold the courage of their convictions.

“Raise the Age” has drawn support from a remarkable number of conservative Republicans, notably state Chief Justice Mike Martin.

The reasons are clear: Locking teenagers up with hardened criminals only makes them worse.

Studies by the national Centers for Disease Control show that 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds are far more likely to offend again -- and wind up in the prison system again -- if they are tried as adults rather than being diverted to a program tailored for juveniles.

Not only are teens more likely to be abused and exploited by older, larger criminals. It’s well known that prison often serves as a “crime college,” where young offenders, with little else to do, soak up the tricks and techniques of more experienced crooks and dealers.

Raising the age was a major proposal of a 65-member court reform commission named by Chief Justin Martin. The state sheriff’s association has come around on the proposal. And the latest version is sponsored by state Rep. Chuck McGrady, a Hendersonville Republican.

McGrady’s version would require all young people in the juvenile justice system to participate in educational programs; currently, there’s no requirement that juveniles in adult prisons do so. Since 42 percent of juvenile complaints come from school systems, it only makes sense to make young offenders keep up with their schooling and, one hopes, finish high school.

The McGrady bill points young offenders into juvenile programs that work to wean them from gang activity; no such programs exist in “grown-up” jail.

There’s just one catch: The cost. Currently, just 11 North Carolina counties have juvenile-oriented programs, such as New Hanover County’s Teen Court. In the rest of the state’s counties, teens are funneled into adult courts.

Changing that would cost extra money, for new assistant district attorneys, for one or two new juvenile detention facilities and other expenses. That will cost money.

For that reason, the state Senate version of “Raise the Age” applies only to teens accused of misdemeanors. The House version (HB 280) passed by a 104-8 vote Wednesday. It covers both misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, which account for more than 90 percent of young offenders.

New Hanover County’s two Republican representatives, Ted Davis and Holly Grange, both were sponsors of the bill. Pender’s Chris Millis and Brunswick’s Frank Iler voted for it. Good for them.

Senators are trying to control costs, but that’s a penny-wise, pound-foolish approach that could keep on turning more teens into career criminals. The House should hold its ground.

This isn’t about being hard on crime vs. being soft on crime. This is about being smart on crime.

Oftentimes, locking ’em and throwing away the key doesn’t work. North Carolina needs to take a smarter approach.