Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Justice is committed to the reduction and prevention of juvenile delinquency by effectively intervening, educating and treating youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.

Crimes alleged to have been committed by those age 16 and older in North Carolina are currently heard in adult court; in 2017 North Carolina became the final state to "Raise the Age" for nonviolent offenses to 18, effective in late 2019.

The total number of juvenile complaints in North Carolina decreased by 25 percent between 2010 and 2017. Find more recent data, statistics and legislative reports about the state's juvenile justice system here.

Find and download data by county on offenses, admissions to facilities and community programs, supervision cases, and more, using the Juvenile Justice County Databooks.

Learn more about the initiatives, successes and data that comprised the Juvenile Justice Section last year, and find out the opportunities it faces now and in coming years.