2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 7B-2102. Fingerprinting and photographing juveniles.

§ 7B‑2102.  Fingerprinting and photographing juveniles.

(a)       A law enforcement officer or agency shall fingerprint and photograph a juvenile who was 10 years of age or older at the time the juvenile allegedly committed a nondivertible offense as set forth in G.S. 7B‑1701, when a complaint has been prepared for filing as a petition and the juvenile is in physical custody of law enforcement or the Department. A county juvenile detention facility shall photograph a juvenile who has been committed to that facility if the juvenile was at least 10 years old at the time that juvenile allegedly committed a nondivertible offense as set forth in G.S. 7B‑1701.

(b)       If a law enforcement officer or agency does not take the fingerprints or a photograph of the juvenile pursuant to subsection (a) of this section or the fingerprints or photograph have been destroyed pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, a law enforcement officer or agency shall fingerprint and photograph a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent if the juvenile was 10 years of age or older at the time the juvenile committed an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult.

(c)       A law enforcement officer, facility, or agency who fingerprints or photographs a juvenile pursuant to this section shall do so in a proper format for transfer to the State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After the juvenile, who was 10 years of age or older at the time of the offense, is adjudicated delinquent of an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult, fingerprints obtained pursuant to this section shall be transferred to the State Bureau of Investigation and placed in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to be used for all investigative and comparison purposes. Photographs obtained pursuant to this section shall be placed in a format approved by the State Bureau of Investigation and may be used for all investigative or comparison purposes.

(d)       Fingerprints and photographs taken pursuant to this section are not public records under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes, shall not be included in the clerk's record pursuant to G.S. 7B‑3000, shall be withheld from public inspection or examination, and shall not be eligible for expunction pursuant to G.S. 7B‑3200. Fingerprints and photographs taken pursuant to this section shall be maintained separately from any juvenile record, other than the electronic file maintained by the State Bureau of Investigation.

(d1)     Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, the court may order the release of a juvenile's photograph to the public if the juvenile escapes from a youth development center, other juvenile facility, a holdover facility, or from the custody of juvenile personnel or a local law enforcement officer.

(e)       If a juvenile is fingerprinted and photographed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the custodian of records shall destroy all fingerprints and photographs at the earlier of the following:

(1)       The juvenile court counselor or prosecutor does not file a petition against the juvenile within one year of fingerprinting and photographing the juvenile pursuant to subsection (a) of this section;

(2)       The court does not find probable cause pursuant to G.S. 7B‑2202; or

(3)       The juvenile is not adjudicated delinquent of any offense that would be a felony or a misdemeanor if committed by an adult.

The chief court counselor shall notify the local custodian of records, and the local custodian of records shall notify any other record‑holding agencies, when a decision is made not to file a petition, the court does not find probable cause, or the court does not adjudicate the juvenile delinquent. (1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 23.2(a); 1998‑202, s. 6; 2000‑137, s. 3; 2001‑490, s. 2.16; 2003‑297, s. 2.)