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Peer Courts as a Diversion

Peer Courts as a Diversion. College Connections for Student Success Conference February 18 th , 2014 1:50-2:50pm Emily Boness. What is a peer court?. Voluntary diversionary program Teen volunteers serve as lawyers, judges, clerks and bailiffs, and in many cases jurors Restorative justice

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Peer Courts as a Diversion

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  1. Peer Courts as a Diversion College Connections for Student Success Conference February 18th, 2014 1:50-2:50pm Emily Boness

  2. What is a peer court? • Voluntary diversionary program • Teen volunteers serve as lawyers, judges, clerks and bailiffs, and in many cases jurors • Restorative justice • “…youth need to be presented with opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their families, schools, peer groups and communities.” (Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention) • Common around the country

  3. Who Benefits? • Juvenile Court • Respondents • Youth volunteers • Community

  4. Peer Courts and Disconnected Youth • Respondents return as volunteers • Jury duty • Avoid/delay contact with juvenile court • Clear record

  5. Activity • Morgan, age 14, really wanted a new pair of shoes but couldn’t afford the shoes. Morgan decided to go to a shoe store and try on new shoes and then walk out of the store with those shoes and leave the old shoes behind. The store clerk caught Morgan and a video tape of the store confirmed what Morgan had done. Morgan was arrested. • Who was harmed? • What was the harm? • Who could have been harmed?

  6. Athens Peer Court • History • We have served approximately 190 youth. • APC serves all first time juvenile offenders arrested in Clarke County.

  7. Who we serve • The average offender age is 14.90 years old • 109 boys, 79 girls • 65% African-American, 23% White, 12% Hispanic • Offense • Shoplifting – 27% • Night curfew violation – 22% • Daytime curfew violation – 11% • Possession of marijuana – 9% • Criminal trespass – 9% • Other (underage drinking, loitering, theft by taking)

  8. Dispositions • Typical disposition includes: • Apology to family member in courtroom • Jury duty • Community service hours • Letter of apology or reflective essay • Youth respondents have been assigned a total of 1405 community services hours and 516 hours of jury duty • The average disposition was 7.5 community services hours, 2.7hours of jury duty and a verbal apology to a family member given in court.

  9. Questions or comments? Emily Boness: boness@fanning.uga.edu J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development University of Georgia 1240 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30602 706.542.1472

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