Youth Court: A Community Solution for Embracing At-Risk-Youth. A National Update

摘要

Youth court is a rapidly expanding alternative to the juvenile justice system for young people who have committed non-violent offenses, growing from 78 programs in 1994 to 1,035 in March 2005. Youth volunteers, under the supervision of adult volunteers, work as bailiffs, clerks, jury and judges, questioning the offender, debating and imposing sentences. The programs goal is to intervene in early antisocial, delinquent, and criminal behaviors to reduce incidents and prevent the escalation of such behaviors.