From Harford County government:
The Harford County Teen Court was piloted in the spring of 2011 and is approaching its second year of operation as a diversion program that provides first time, non-violent youth offenders with a second chance. The program follows a restorative justice model in which it is determined what is best for the respondent, the victim, and the community at large.
Offenders agree to participate in the Teen Court program, and if successful, avoid becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. The Teen Court program is overseen by the Harford County Department of Community Services Office of Drug Control Policy and the Local Management Board in partnership with the Department of Juvenile Services, State’s Attorney Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Harford County Public Schools.
Harford County District Court Judge Susan Hazlett presides over the court. The jury is comprised of teens from throughout the county. For the teen jurors, this is a volunteer experience and a chance to see firsthand how the criminal justice system works. With the guidance of adult volunteers, the jury develops a ruling for the offending youth, such as writing an apology letter, performing community service hours or serving on the teen jury in the future.
Teen Court Training for youth and adult volunteers is scheduled for Thursday, September 13, 2012, 4:30 p.m., at the Harford County District Court, 2 South Bond Street in Bel Air. To register for the Teen Court Training session on September 13, contact Katie Badders at 410-638-3333 or teencourt@harfordcountymd.gov.
Teen Court is held the second Thursday of the month in the evening.
I think this is a great idea. It sounds like a good idea for dealing with cases where the teen has broken the law but is not really a danger to society. I served on a jury for a criminal case when I was 19. Having that experience at such a young age gave me a new perspective on what it meant to be a citizen of the US. It also brought home how easy it is for a “good” person to make a really dumb mistake. People have to pay the consequences for there actions.
Teen Court is a good learning process that uses a moot court model for youth to learn about the justice system. But I am sorry it does not “follow a restorative justice model.” Teen court model is said to: “With the guidance of adult volunteers, the jury develops a ruling for the offending youth, such as writing an apology letter, performing community service hours or serving on the teen jury in the future.” Please understand that this is not how restorative justice works. Restorative justice does not “guide” anyone to do anything. Let’s appreciate teen court for being an excellent way to learn about the criminal justice system and it’s adversarial nature, but please let’s not say it follows a restorative model when it cannot as described above.