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North Carolina

Statistics on children, youth and families in North Carolina from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and NC Child

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NC Child

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School-based offenses in North Carolina

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Definition and Source

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Definition

A school-based complaint represents a delinquent or status offense that occurs on school grounds, school property (buses, etc.), at a school bus stop, or at an off-campus school-sanctioned event (field trips, athletic competitions, etc.) or whose victim is a school (i.e., false bomb report). "School" includes any public or private institution providing elementary (K–8), secondary (9–12), or post-secondary (community college, trade school, college, etc.) education, but excludes home schools, preschools, and day cares. School-based offenses exclude Interstate Compact Juveniles cases.

A non-school based complaint represents an offense that did not occur on school grounds, school property, at a school bus stop, or at an off-campus school-sanctioned event. A school- a public or private institution providing elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education- cannot be the victim of a non-school based offense. 

Data Source

North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Juvenile Justice. Special data request received October 2025.

Notes

S indicates that at least one category has a number smaller than 5 for a given county and year.

Data Note:
Legislative reforms enacted between 2019 and 2024 have significantly affected which young people fall under the jurisdiction of North Carolina’s Department of Public Saftey (DPS). These changes should be considered when comparing data across years, especially for analyses that extend back before 2019.

The “Raise the Age” law, effective December 1, 2019, expanded juvenile jurisdiction to include most 16- and 17-year-olds, resulting in an increase in the number of youth handled within the juvenile system. The “Raise the Floor” law, effective December 1, 2021, narrowed jurisdiction by excluding children under age 10, except in cases involving the most serious felonies (Class A–G).

More recently, House Bill 834 (Session Law 2024-17), effective December 1, 2024, modified jurisdiction again. Under this law, certain serious felony offenses (Class A–E) committed by 16- and 17-year-olds now begin in adult court, although they may be transferred back to juvenile court under specific conditions. This reform reduces the portion of older youth whose cases remain within juvenile jurisdiction.

Because of these legislative shifts, caution should be used when comparing data across time:

  • 2007–2018: Reflects pre–Raise the Age juvenile jurisdiction (under age 16 only).

  • 2019–2021: Jurisdiction expanded, then contracted, due to Raise the Age and Raise the Floor.

  • 2022–2024: Jurisdiction remained relatively stable.

  • 2025 and later: Data reflect the new limits introduced by House Bill 834.

These changes affect both the size and composition of the youth population served by DPS and must be considered when interpreting long-term trends.

Last Updated

October 2025