Teen Court is an alternative system of justice . . . a court where first time offenders are sentenced by their peers and are thereby held accountable for their actions. The creative and constructive sentences handed down through the Teen Court are meant not only to deter the offender from future criminal activity, but also educate, counsel, and rehabilitate the offender. Teen Court utilizes trained student volunteers, under adult supervision, to serve in various capacities, including being responsible for sentencing their peers.

Offenders must admit guilt and voluntarily enter the Teen Court program to participate. Parents and/or guardians of the young offender must be involved in the process. The young offender who successfully completes the Teen Court process will have learned and acknowledge the consequences of delinquent behavior, without receiving a criminal record. The Teen Court participant who does not complete the sentencing mandates for any reason will be referred to Juvenile or District Court for traditional court proceedings. Any offender who prefers legal representation of the regular court system may decline the referral to Teen Court.

Teen Court can refuse any referral that is not appropriate for the Teen Court program.

Offenders Benefit by:

• Learning important lessons about crime, delinquency and consequences.

• Taking responsibility for their delinquent behavior

• Experiencing the power of positive peer pressure.

• Receiving effective intervention can have the greatest impact.

• Learning a healthy respect for authority.

• Gaining insight into behavior and gain invaluable communication and decision making skills through participation in educational seminars.

• Avoiding a criminal record by successfully completing the Teen Court program.

Community Benefits:

• Empowering our youth to change delinquent behavior.

• Intervening in the lives of youth at the first indicator of delinquent behavior.

• Improving school and community environments.

• Providing a cost efficient way to reduce the number of offenders in the Juvenile and District Courts.

• Helping youth develop a healthy attitude towards authority.

• Educating teenagers about their rights and responsibilities.

• Allowing courts to focus on more serious offenders.

• Providing youth and adult volunteers the opportunity to have a positive impact on their school and community.

• Creating an effective alternative justice system that provides “creative sentencing” designed to educate, counsel, and rehabilitate- not punish- our youngest offenders.

Teen Court Needs YOU!
Middle School (7th and 8th grade only) and high school students
are needed for the following positions:

JURORS
CLERK OF COURT
BAILIFF
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS
MENTORS
 

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