(RALEIGH) -- Advocates for young people are pressing lawmakers on children's issues to change North Carolina's policy for charging some teens as adults in the criminal justice system. Brandy Bynum from Action for Children North America explains the law.

"The current law stipulates that North Carolina is one of two states that automatically prosecute all 16- and 17-year-olds in the adult criminal justice system without any exceptions, meaning there's no opportunity to be waived back to the juvenile criminal justice system," she said. "And it does not matter how minor the crime, as well," she added.

Bynum says the change would only apply for juveniles who commit non-violent low-level felonies and misdemeanors.