Veto override of "Raise the Age" modifications was the right move
Data coming out of Charlotte shows an explosion in serious crimes by youth
The North Carolina General Assembly’s override of Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill modifying the state’s Raise The Age law was the right move.
House Bill 834 modifies “Raise the Age” by requiring 16- and 17-year-olds who commit certain serious felonies automatically be sent to Superior Court instead of juvenile court.
Data coming out of Charlotte showing an explosion in numbers of youths committing serious crimes supports the idea that the veto override wasn’t just the right move, but a necessary one.
According to a mid-year report by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the city saw just a 1% increase in overall crime, but the rate of homicides committed by youths skyrocketed by 300% and youth homicide victims jumped 75% over the same timeframe in 2023.
The CMPD report’s Juvenile Crime Statistics are eye-popping.
300% increase in juvenile homicide suspects (12 vs 3 YTD in 2023)
75% increase in juvenile homicide victims (7 vs 4 YTD in 2023)
61% of total juvenile arrests were repeat offenders (1,032 out of 1,684 total)
19% increase in Juvenile Suspects identified in Property Crimes (902 vs 760 YTD in 2023)
12% increase in Overall Juvenile Arrests (1,684 vs 1,510 in 2023)
7% increase in Juvenile Suspects identified in Violent Crimes (220 vs 206 in 2023)
CMPD Deputy Chief David Robinson said juvenile offender housing has become an “undeniable need.”
“The number of repeat juvenile offenders has pointed to an undeniable need for more accountability post-arrest and to house juvenile offenders in a detention facility locally,” Robinson said in a press release. “A lack of space to house juveniles should not be an excuse for allowing repeat offenders to rack up dozens or even hundreds of charges by the time they’re 17-years-old.”
Robinson also cited “difficulties” getting custody orders for youth suspects, implying youth crime rates are actually higher.
“Due to difficulties obtaining a secure custody order for juvenile suspects, our officers only apply for them in the most serious cases,” Robinson said. “Already this year, the Department of Juvenile Justice has denied at least 62 secure custody order requests for juvenile offenders.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's (CMPD) delivered the news via a July 14 press conference broadcast on Facebook.
CMPD highlighted several initiatives to address these trends, including the Crime Reduction Unit and Crime Gun Suppression Team the Juvenile Apprehension and Diversion Empowerment (JADE) team, and the Stolen Car and Recovery Law Enforcement Team (SCARLET).
Here’s the breakdown of other crime statistics from the CMPD 2024 Mid-Year Public Safety Report:
Overall Crime:
- 1% increase in overall crime from January 1 – June 30, 2024
- No statistical increase in property crime from 2023
Property Crime:
- 8% increase in auto thefts (14% increase in Kia and Hyundai thefts specifically)
- 4% decrease in overall auto thefts if Kia and Hyundai thefts were omitted
Police Interactions:
- 4% increase in Calls for Service (192,605 vs 185,643 YTD in 2023)
- 2% increase in Overall Police Interactions (268,040 vs 262,018 YTD in 2023)
- 5% increase in overall arrests (7,940 vs 7,559 YTD in 2023)
- 1% increase in firearm seizures (1,738 vs 1,721 YTD in 2023)
Violent Crime:
- 8% increase in violent crimes year-to-date in 2024
- 36% increase in Homicides (61 vs 45 YTD in 2023)
- 9% increase in Aggravated Assaults (2,844 vs 2,620 YTD in 2023)
- 8% increase in Assault with a Deadly Weapon Involving a Firearm (2,193 vs 2,034 YTD in 2023)
More To The Story
A good portion of the press conference and CMPD’s press release centered on JADE. The JADE task force was created in 2024 due to the large rise in juvenile offenses.
On it’s Facebook page, CMPD posted these two disturbing JADE case profiles:
Case #1
On April 23, 2024, of this year, a 13-year-old suspect who was already on Electronic Monitoring for an Armed Robbery incident, was caught riding in a stolen vehicle by officers and attempted to flee on foot and was caught. The 13-year-old was released back to his guardian, despite violating the conditions of the electronic monitoring.
On April 25, the same teen was again spotted inside a stolen vehicle and again fled on foot from officers. One officer sustained an injury during the chase. The 13-year-old was again – released back to his guardian.
On May 14, 2024, the same teen was again charged with operating a stolen vehicle that was linked to the scene of a shooting.
When officers subsequently searched his apartment, they located a fourth stolen vehicle. At this time, the teen is not in custody, he is at home on electronic monitoring.
Case #2
On May 22, 2024, officers responded to a string of armed robberies involving two 16-year-old suspects who were armed with handguns.
The suspects robbed victims of cash and cell phones in the 1800 block of South Tryon Street and the 200 block of East Trade Street.
Officers identified, located, and arrested the suspects and seized three handguns from the teens. It was later determined that the firearms were stolen during a gun store burglary in Matthews, N.C., the previous day on May 21, 2024.
Six days later, JADE officers made a home visit to a juvenile subject who was known to associate with the two arrested teens. The associate willingly turned over a fourth firearm. Had officers not taken an extra step to make that home visit, it was likely that the handgun would never have been turned in and may have ended up being used in more crimes.
Even More To The Story
On June 25, the day after Cooper vetoed the bill modifying “Raise the Age,” five teens in various cities in the state were charged with murder.
Three 17-year-old New Hanover teens were charged with the murder of another 17-year-old, a Charlotte teen was charged in the murder of a 14-year-old, and a 17-year-old was charged with the murder of a 35-year-old man at a Charlotte motel.
By my count, at least 23 North Carolina juveniles have been charged with murder and two with attempted murder as of July 19. That number includes the five mentioned above, however, there may be arrests that I missed. One of the youths charged in July is an 18-year-old who is in the country illegally.
January 2024
16-year-old charged with murder of an adult in Mecklenburg County
17-year-old charged with murder of an adult in Duplin County
February 2024
14-year-old charged with murder of a 21-year-old following a shooting in Wake County
16-year-old and 17-year-old charged with murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
March 2024
17-year-old was charged with the murder of another 17-year-old in Robeson County
16-year-old was charged with the murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
17-year-old was charged with murder in the death of a mother of three in Wake County
17-year-old was charged with the murder of another 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
April 2024
17-year-old was charged with the murder of a 21-year-old male in Mecklenburg County
16-year-old was charged with the murder of a 13-year-old in Wake County
May 2024
Two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old charged with murder during a home invasion in Iredell County
16-year-old charged with attempted murder of a 13-year-old in Iredell County
18-year-old sought for the April murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
16-year-old charged with murder of a 14-year-old in Mecklenburg County
June 2024
Three 17-year-olds charged with murder of another 17-year-old in New Hanover County
One 17-year-old charged with murder of a 35-year-old man at a Charlotte motel in Mecklenburg County
One 15-year-old charged with murder of 14-year-old in Mecklenburg County (related to May arrest of 16-year-old)
A 17-year-old was shot and killed in Monroe. An 18-year-old was also wounded. No shooter charged yet but police say multiple shooters were involved.
A 17-year-old was charged with the murder of an 18-year-old in Goldsboro at a Food Lion.
July 2024
A 16-year-old and 18-year old were charged with murder following a series of 5 shootings in Charlotte. The 18-year-old is a Honduran national in the country illegally.
An 18-year-old was charged with attempted murder in Lenoir County.