Local teen court

Established to provide a diversion program that holds first-time juvenile offenders accountable for their actions, while reducing the caseload of local courts and probation officers. Skip to content. Mission: Established to provide a diversion program that holds first-time juvenile offenders accountable for their actions, while reducing the caseload of local courts and probation officers. Holds the juveniles accountable for their actions while reducing the caseload of local courts and probation officers. Wells County students grades 6 — 12 receive training and serve as clerk, bailiff, jury, prosecuting attorney, and defense attorney for Teen Court hearings. The process takes advantage of one of the most powerful forces in the life of an adolescent — the desire for peer approval and the reaction to peer pressure.

A teen court sometimes called youth court or peer court is a problem-solving court within the juvenile justice system where teens charged with certain types of offenses can be sentenced by a jury of same-aged peers. Depending on their training, community support, and agreements with traditional court systems, most teen or youth courts are recognized as valid, legal venues for the process of hearing cases , sentencing and sentence fulfillment. Teen courts and their verdicts are not authorized by public law. Teen courts are staffed by youth volunteers who serve in various capacities within the program, trained and acting in the roles of jurors , lawyers , bailiffs , and clerks. Most teen courts are sentencing courts in which the offender has already admitted guilt or pleaded no contest. Many teen courts operate much like a traditional court , holding hearings before a judge and jury with the jury deliberating to determine an appropriate disposition. Other courts employ different structures, such as a judge-panel model which includes a panel of 3 to 6 youth judges who collectively hear, deliberate, and sentence the offender.

Youth courts train teenagers to handle real-life cases involving their peers, offering a restorative response to misbehavior. Youth courts use positive peer pressure to ensure that young people who have committed minor offenses pay back the community and receive the help they need to avoid further involvement in the justice system. Youth courts hear a range of low-level crimes; many handle cases that would otherwise wind up in Family Court or Criminal Court. The Center also assists local jurisdictions in their efforts to establish youth courts.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, conse ctetur adip elit, pellentesque turpis. Offering first-time youth offenders a second chance through restorative justice. Young offenders are referred to Teen Court from the Juvenile Probation Office and appear before a court made up of their peers. They are sentenced by a jury of their peers and offered an opportunity to give back to their community for their offenses.