Agenda - 03-07-2017 - 5-a - Orange County's Proposed 2017 Legislative Agenda

Browse Search

31 Justice and Public Safety Approved Goals JPS-1: Support legislation and funding to raise the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction from 16 to 18 with the exception of felony crimes. • North Carolina is one of only two states that automatically process every 16 and 17 year-old through the adult criminal justice system and provides no opportunity for the youth to appeal for a transfer to the juvenile system. • The adult justice system is punitive and costly, whereas the juvenile justice system focuses on providing therapeutic and rehabilitative services to reduce recidivism. • Raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction is critical, as teens who are convicted of misdemeanors offenses endure significant and lifelong barriers to employment, housing, higher education and military service. • A legislative proposal to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18 should include sufficient funding to fully implement the change. JPS-2: Support increased state funding for NC courts, including reinstating funding for drug treatment court. • Since the recession, funding for NC courts has been cut by tens of millions of dollars, placing a greater financial burden on counties. • Such cuts limit access to justice and erode judicial efficiency. • Drug treatment courts were created by the General Assembly in 1995 to address substance abuse issues in the criminal justice system and reduce alcohol and drug-related caseloads. • Without state funding for these courts, many counties have lost a valuable resource for managing judicial caseloads and effectively delivering substance abuse treatment. JPS-3: Support legislation and state funding to provide early intervention services through the Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils and support increased state funding for the prevention, intervention and treatment of adolescent substance abuse, gang involvement and domestic violence. • Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils are statutorily required to prioritize funding for juveniles who have already been adjudicated as delinquent, which generally consumes the entire fund allocation. • Additional funding is needed to enable JCPCs in all counties to provide early intervention services in an effort to reduce and prevent juvenile crime. JPS-4: Support legislation increasing penalties for tattooing without a permit.