Jennings And McFadden Split On Governor’s Veto On HB 834
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chief Jennings released a statement on house bill 834 following Governor Cooper’s veto of House Bill 834.
The bill would have automatically sent the cases of 16-year-old and 17-year-old offenders charged with the most serious felonies straight to adult court.
Currently per North Carolina law, all cases involving juveniles start in juvenile court and then can be transferred to adult court. Combatting rising juvenile crime, holding repeat juvenile offenders accountable and helping rehabilitate young people has been a major priority for Chief Jennings.
In 2023, CMPD saw a 34% increase in juvenile arrests and 33% increase in shooting incidents involving a juvenile. Juvenile suspects also accounted for 68% of all auto theft arrests. The Chief is committed to reducing juvenile crime through diversion efforts and is leading the push for the re-opening of a juvenile detention center in Mecklenburg County.
See the Chief’s statement below:
“The Governor’s decision to veto HB 834 is a disappointing development. This legislation was a crucial step in protecting the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens – our juveniles. I firmly believe that with continued effort and public dialogue, we can find a resolution that addresses the Governor’s concerns while still upholding the core principles outlined in the legislation. While this is an ongoing challenge, we will continue our work together to create a safer environment for everyone.”
Governor Cooper spoke in Charlotte on Tuesday.
“One of the problems is, is that they raise the age, but they’ve chronically underfunded the juvenile justice system,” he said.
Cooper said most violent crimes committed by teens should be handled in adult court, but said there are some cases that should be handled in juvenile court. He called for more funding of the juvenile justice system, instead.
WCCB’s Emma Mondo spoke with Mecklenburg County Sheriff, Garry McFadden.
“My friend across the street, he is in a bad situation where these juveniles are committing crimes. But, then when we house them in these facilities, do we have the adequate staffing and the resources, and will they return to the community any better.”
Mecklenburg County’s juvenile detention center closed in 2022 due to budget cuts. McFadden says he’s willing to re-open the facility with some considerations:
“So, you’re willing to open those doors again to the juvenile detention center if you have the proper funding and the proper staffing?” asked Mondo.“The doors have never been locked,” McFadden replied, “they just have been closed. But we have to have these conversations.”
