NC Senate Bill Would Raise Declared Juvenile Delinquency Age

Children ages 6 to 9 in trouble with the law in North Carolina could no longer be declared criminally responsible in juvenile court in legislation approved unanimously by the state Senate. The bill approved Thursday would raise the minimum age for juvenile delinquency from 6 to 10. That means more young people would be kept out of criminal proceedings in juvenile court. The children would get help from juvenile court counselors instead. North Carolina currently has the lowest allowable age for a child to be declared delinquent. The bill next goes to the House for consideration.