RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina sets the lowest minimum age in the country by law for a child to be prosecuted, allowing 6-year-olds to be tried in juvenile court.
Now, the state is looking to raise the age to ensure children under 10 don't have to appear before a judge.
Many of the more than 2,000 reported complaints in recent years emerged in schools and were disproportionately made against Black boys.
Racial justice advocates support the bill but want to see more systemic changes to the state's juvenile justice system.
Three other states allow 7-year-olds to face prosecution while 28 others have no laws specifying a minimum age of delinquency.
