Youths to Create Youth Court in Upstate New York

ITHACA, N.Y. — Local juvenile offenders could soon have their cases heard by a jury of their peers after the town board voted to support a youth court here.

The youth court, which will feature a jury composed entirely of local youths, would hear cases involving juveniles charged with minor offenses, such as theft, vandalism, public disorder, and alcohol possession.

Juvenile offenders, ages 14 to 17 years old, would be required to admit guilt, acknowledge the court’s decision as binding, and accept any sentence or punishment.

Generally, the sentences at youth courts involve community service, educational workshops, public apologies or jury duty on the youth court.

The youth court assigns each juvenile offender a youth mentor to ensure completion of the court’s sentence and help the juvenile avoid re-offending.

Offenders would be diverted from the traditional juvenile justice system to the youth court only with the consent of parents and a referral from a traditional justice or social service agency, officials say.

Juvenile offenders appearing at youth court would have the option to withdraw from the process and return to the traditional juvenile justice system, where the admission of guilt, required for entry to the youth court, would be deemed inadmissible, officials say.

Youth courts first appeared during the 1970s, according to the National Association of Youth Courts. There are more than 1,000 of the peer-justice institutions in the United States.

The Ithaca town board will draft a formal resolution to make the town hall available for the weekly sessions of the proposed youth court, which could begin hearing cases by the fall of 2008.