In North Carolina, 6-year-old criminals

North Carolina is home to an outstanding public university system — despite the best efforts of the current boards of governors — and lush, loamy soil suitable for grapes, tobacco, sweet potatoes and anything else one might want to grow. It has mountains, and more than 12,000 miles of coastal shoreline.

It is also the only place in the entire world that charges 6-year-olds with crimes.

This fact bubbled to the surface in a News & Observer report published on Sunday: North Carolina has the lowest minimum age in the world for juvenile justice court proceedings. And that age is 6.

What this means is that at the age of 6, a child can be considered a defendant in a complaint, must answer charges in court and they, or their parents, can face penalties for their actions. Until 2015, they could be incarcerated in North Carolina, now that age is 10, the N&O piece reports, “after a 45-pound 7-year-old was put in detention for not coming to court.”

Read more: https://triad-city-beat.com/editorial-in-north-carolina-6-year-old-criminals/