Raleigh — ACLU of North Carolina Director of Policy & Advocacy Liz Barber sent a letter to Governor Roy Cooper encouraging him to veto House Bill 834, “Juvenile Justice Modifications,” which would significantly roll back protections for minors in the Raise the Age law.
“Prosecuting children as adults causes significant harm to young people and does nothing to address the underlying causes of youth crime,” reads the letter.
“The juvenile justice system requires far more accountability, counseling, education, and family involvement than the adult system and it works better. Recidivism is significantly higher when children go through the adult system rather than receive the services and punishment from the juvenile system.”
The letter asks Governor Cooper to veto the bill and “send a message to legislators that it’s time to invest in real solutions that further safety, accountability, and justice for all of us.”
You can read the full letter here. Constituents who want to encourage Governor Cooper to veto the bill can do so here.
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