A Local, State, National and A Local, State, National and International PerspectiveInternational Perspective

The Global The Global Youth Justice MovementYouth Justice Movement

Youth Court, Teen Court, Peer Court, Student Court, and Youth Peer Panel

What is a What is a Youth Justice Program?Youth Justice Program?

A rapidly expanding local juvenile justice diversion program in which youth are sentenced by their peers in collaboration with adults.

Youth Justice Programs are often called Teen Court, Peer Court, Student Court,

Youth Court and Youth Peer Panel

Common Youth Volunteer Roles Common Youth Volunteer Roles in Youth Justice Hearings*in Youth Justice Hearings*

Defense AttorneyDefense Attorney Prosecuting Attorney Prosecuting Attorney ClerkClerk BailiffBailiff Jury ForepersonJury Foreperson JurorsJurors Youth judgeYouth judge *Volunteer roles vary according to the *Volunteer roles vary according to the

program model the youth justice program program model the youth justice program utilizes.utilizes.

What Makes Youth Justice What Makes Youth Justice Programs Appealing?Programs Appealing?

Serve as an education, prevention and Serve as an education, prevention and early juvenile intervention program.early juvenile intervention program.

Offers a way to hold juvenile offenders Offers a way to hold juvenile offenders accountable.accountable.

Provides a means for educating youth on Provides a means for educating youth on the legal and judicial system.the legal and judicial system.

Provide a meaningful forum for youth to Provide a meaningful forum for youth to build competencies and practice and build competencies and practice and enhance skills.enhance skills.

(Appealing Continued)(Appealing Continued)

Offers an avenue for youth to provide Offers an avenue for youth to provide service for and build ties to their own local service for and build ties to their own local communities.communities.

Among the least expensive juvenile justice Among the least expensive juvenile justice intervention programs given the strong intervention programs given the strong volunteer support from youth and adults.volunteer support from youth and adults.

Research and Data collection is yielding Research and Data collection is yielding outstanding results.outstanding results.

(Appealing Continued)(Appealing Continued)

These programs have cross cutting appeal These programs have cross cutting appeal across many agencies and organizations.across many agencies and organizations.

Youth are volunteering in large numbers Youth are volunteering in large numbers across America for these programs adults across America for these programs adults are taking the lead to increasingly are taking the lead to increasingly establish and enhance them.establish and enhance them.

These programs are NOT one time These programs are NOT one time (episodic) service programs. Service is (episodic) service programs. Service is often continual and even over years.often continual and even over years.

Location of Youth Justice Location of Youth Justice Programs in the USAPrograms in the USA

States without youth court programs

1994: 78 Youth Courts in 9 states in USA

2010: About 1,155 Programs in 48 states, DC and on Tribes.

CT/RI None.

Global Youth Justice Locations Global Youth Justice Locations (Non-USA)(Non-USA)

JapanJapan

United KingdomUnited Kingdom

South KoreaSouth Korea

Australia Australia

Common Elements Common Elements of Youth Justice Programsof Youth Justice Programs

Juvenile Justice Diversion programs Juvenile Justice Diversion programs (formal and informal arrests).(formal and informal arrests).

Primary first-time low-level juvenile Primary first-time low-level juvenile crimes, offenses and violations.crimes, offenses and violations.

Often the 1Often the 1stst or 2 or 2ndnd step in a system of step in a system of graduated sanctions.graduated sanctions.

Misdemeanor, non-violent cases.Misdemeanor, non-violent cases.

Common Elements (cont.)Common Elements (cont.)

Most Youth Justice Programs Require Most Youth Justice Programs Require youth to admit to charge (sentencing youth to admit to charge (sentencing hearings and not trials).hearings and not trials).

Most are Voluntary participation.Most are Voluntary participation.

Parental/Guardian Consent and Parental/Guardian Consent and Participation is Mandatory in most Participation is Mandatory in most local Youth Justice programs.local Youth Justice programs.

POM

Tobacco

Assault

Alcohol

Disorderly Conduct

Vandalism

Theft95%87%81%75%71%67%62%

Most Common Types of Crimes, Most Common Types of Crimes, Offenses and Violations.Offenses and Violations.

56%48%42%

Traffic

SchoolDisciplinary

Curfew

Common Sentencing OptionsCommon Sentencing Options

• More meaningful Community Service More meaningful Community Service that are project oriented.that are project oriented.

• Oral/Written Apologies to Victims.Oral/Written Apologies to Victims.

• Essays on the crime, offense or Essays on the crime, offense or violation (s) they were referred to a violation (s) they were referred to a Youth Justice Program for.Youth Justice Program for.

• Jury Duty in a Youth Justice Program.Jury Duty in a Youth Justice Program.

• Educational Workshops on laws and Educational Workshops on laws and consequences.consequences.

Additional Sentencing OptionsAdditional Sentencing Options

• Restitution.Restitution.

• Curfew.Curfew.

• Tutoring.Tutoring.

• Victim Awareness Class or Panel.Victim Awareness Class or Panel.

• Drug Testing and Mediation.Drug Testing and Mediation.

• Youth volunteers serve in the roles Youth volunteers serve in the roles of:of:• Defense AttorneysDefense Attorneys• Prosecuting AttorneysProsecuting Attorneys• ClerksClerks• BailiffsBailiffs• JurorsJurors

• Adult volunteer serves in the role of:Adult volunteer serves in the role of:• JudgeJudge

Adult Judge ModelAdult Judge Model

• Youth volunteers serve in the role of:Youth volunteers serve in the role of:• Judge Judge • Prosecuting AttorneysProsecuting Attorneys• Defense AttorneysDefense Attorneys• ClerksClerks• BailiffsBailiffs• JurorsJurors

Youth Judge ModelYouth Judge Model

• Youth volunteers serve in the roles Youth volunteers serve in the roles of:of:• Judge(s)Judge(s)• Defense AttorneysDefense Attorneys• Prosecuting AttorneysProsecuting Attorneys• ClerksClerks• BailiffsBailiffs

• There is NO PEER JURYThere is NO PEER JURY

Youth Tribunal ModelYouth Tribunal Model

• Youth volunteers serve as jurors and Youth volunteers serve as jurors and question the defendant directlyquestion the defendant directly

• Some programs use youth and Some programs use youth and community advocatescommunity advocates

Peer Jury ModelPeer Jury Model

Agencies and Organizations Agencies and Organizations Operating Youth Justice Operating Youth Justice

Program OperationsProgram Operations 42% are Juvenile Justice-Based42% are Juvenile Justice-Based

(Law Enforcement, Juvenile Courts, (Law Enforcement, Juvenile Courts, Juvenile Probation)Juvenile Probation)

22% are Community-Based22% are Community-Based

36% are School-Based36% are School-Based

*Almost all of them are a joint *Almost all of them are a joint partnerships of all of the organizations partnerships of all of the organizations listed above.listed above.

Guilty vs Not GuiltyGuilty vs Not Guilty

93% of local Youth Justice programs 93% of local Youth Justice programs require youth to admit require youth to admit guilt/culpability to an offense, crime guilt/culpability to an offense, crime or violation. These are sentencing or violation. These are sentencing hearings.hearings.

7% of local Youth Justice programs 7% of local Youth Justice programs allow you to plead not guilty. These allow you to plead not guilty. These are trials.are trials.

Youth Justice Program ModelsYouth Justice Program Models

41 Use the Adult Judge Model41 Use the Adult Judge Model

18% Use the Youth Judge Model18% Use the Youth Judge Model

31% Use the Peer Jury Model31% Use the Peer Jury Model

10% Use the Tribunal Model10% Use the Tribunal Model

*17% of All programs use 1 or more *17% of All programs use 1 or more models at some time during a year.models at some time during a year.

Facts and StatsFacts and Stats

53% of Youth Justice Programs 53% of Youth Justice Programs require youth offenders to participate require youth offenders to participate in Jury Duty one or more times.in Jury Duty one or more times.

55% of Youth Justice programs 55% of Youth Justice programs operate private hearings and trials.operate private hearings and trials.

70% of Youth Justice programs 70% of Youth Justice programs operate program year round and operate program year round and 30% are only during the school year.30% are only during the school year.

Contact Contact Global Youth JusticeGlobal Youth Justice

Training, Technical Assistance and more.Training, Technical Assistance and more.

Scott Bernard PetersonScott Bernard Peterson

Chief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officer

Global Youth Justice, LLCGlobal Youth Justice, LLC

Mobile:  202.468-3790Mobile:  202.468-3790

www.GlobalYouthJustice.orgwww.GlobalYouthJustice.org

Scott.Peterson@GlobalYouthJustice.orgScott.Peterson@GlobalYouthJustice.org