Time and time again we’ve seen legislators – here and across the country – attempt to address social and behavioral health problems with incarceration. And time and time again we’ve seen that it does not work. Arresting and incarcerating children does not reduce the rate of juvenile crime because it does not address the root causes of youth crime. We need real solutions that work to stop crime before it happens, including investments in the things that help kids thrive.
The North Carolina General Assembly has passed House Bill 834 which rolls back provisions originally passed in 2019 designed to keep children in juvenile court where they have access to counseling, programs, and services that seek to break the cycle of crime. House Bill 834 will not make our communities safer and is a step backward for North Carolina.
We need your help to ensure Governor Cooper does the right thing and vetoes House Bill 834. Can you take two minutes to send a letter telling Governor Cooper to veto House Bill 834?
Read Emancipate NC’s letter to Governor Cooper demanding a veto here →
Governor Cooper: Veto the Raise the Age Rollback