North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) State Practice Exam

Under which condition must a law enforcement officer fingerprint a juvenile?

1. When the juvenile is not in custody

2. When the juvenile is accused of a diversion offense

3. When a complaint filing has been prepared for non-divertible offenses

4. When the juvenile is over 18 years old

The correct answer is: When a complaint filing has been prepared for non-divertible offenses

A law enforcement officer is required to fingerprint a juvenile specifically when a complaint filing has been prepared for non-divertible offenses. This protocol is established to ensure that records of serious and potentially life-altering incidents are officially documented, as these offenses are more significant in terms of the juvenile's future impact in the legal system. Non-divertible offenses are typically those that cannot be dismissed or handled informally, underscoring their seriousness. In contrast, fingerprinting is not necessary when a juvenile is not in custody or when they are accused of a diversion offense, as these situations typically involve lesser consequences and are often managed through alternative resolutions, thus not requiring formal tracking via fingerprints. Additionally, finger-printing a juvenile over 18 falls outside the parameters since once they reach that age, they are treated as adults in the justice system, thus different rules and procedures apply to their cases.