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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: May 16, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-g <br /> SUBJECT: Resolution in Support of Raising the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction in North <br /> Carolina <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager/Criminal <br /> Justice Resource Office <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Caitlin Fenhagen, 919-245-2303 <br /> Proposed Resolution <br /> PURPOSE: To consider a Resolution in Support of Raising the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction in <br /> North Carolina and in support of House Bill 280. <br /> BACKGROUND: North Carolina House Bill 280, the "Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act", is <br /> currently being considered in the North Carolina General Assembly. The legislation would raise <br /> the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 16- and 17- year old youth, except in the case of <br /> certain felonies and motor vehicle laws. <br /> North Carolina is the only state in the country that currently prosecutes 16- and 17- year olds as <br /> adults, regardless of the severity of the crime. Orange County, with the support of all judicial <br /> and law enforcement stakeholders, was the second county in North Carolina to create a <br /> Misdemeanor Diversion Program to divert first time arrests or citations of 16- and 17- year olds <br /> for eligible misdemeanor offenses from the adult criminal justice system. While this program <br /> has kept many young people from entering the adult system, there are still many Orange County <br /> 16- and 17- year olds that are arrested and charged as adults. <br /> The attached resolution supports raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 16 and 17 <br /> year olds and encourages the General Assembly to adopt House Bill 280 which implements this <br /> change. The resolution is generally consistent with the legislative agenda adopted by the Board <br /> of Orange County Commissioners earlier this year. A similar resolution has been adopted by <br /> the Town of Carrboro and other County governments in North Carolina including Mecklenburg <br /> and Wake counties. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with adopting the <br /> Resolution. <br />