Our Future

Parents are always surprised to learn that their 16 or 17 year old child will be treated as an adult in  the North Carolina criminal justice system. North Carolina is one of two states in the United States that still maintains the age of 16. I am a proponent of raising the age to 18. I believe too much in the ability of a child to change.

Today I participated in the Isabella Santos Race for Kids Cancer. For more about her story, click here. I saw the tenacity of children. I saw children come together and run for a cause that had nothing to do with winning. Sometimes, it's not about winning, it's about the intention behind the race.

For some, it was about running for a young girl who fought to the very end.

For some, it was about achieving a goal they thought was unachievable. I saw a boy fall down in the beginning, get up and finish the race. I saw a girl reach the the halfway mark, slow down, shocked that she made it halfway. She ran faster after that. People cheered for everyone, but each child soaked it in as their own individual achievement when they crossed the finish line. You saw their steps get longer and their head held higher. I saw two girls, not more than four years old, run across the finish line together.

I believe that children can succeed, give them a goal, they can achieve. For those who make mistakes, give them a second chance at success. Raise the age.

Criminal Law Updates Provided By The Law Office of Carilyn Ibsen PLLC (888)543-2427