By: Rio O'Ke
Lolita Junk founded Teen Court in 1992 in Campbell County, Kentucky. Junk, who thought a teenage male was in need of help during his trial, wanted to turn to teenage peers to be part of the jury for the case. This meant other teens were able to pick whether or not the defendant on trial was guilty for the crimes committed. These crimes consist of misdemeanors such as: shoplifting, curfew violation and minor consumption.
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| Teen Court handles juvenile offenders and gets teenagers involved in their peer's cases. |
After the teen defendant has pleaded guilty or not guilty, the teen court jury will then come to a conclusion. If the defendant is found guilty, it is up to the jury to decide what the punishment will be. This could sometimes be probation, community service or, depending on how bad of the crime is, months in a juvenile detention facility.
The goals of teen court are to hold juvenile offenders responsible for their behavior and help them recognize the consequences of their actions. It will help give other teenagers who are involved experience with the process of the judicial system. Teen court will also give teenagers the chance to help out with their community and their peers.
Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Department teamed up with City Council of Surprise Courthouse to continue the teen court, which is held once a month. Teen court now provides classes for Dysart district students that teach how to become a jury member, jury foreperson, bailiff, case attorney, victim advocate and clerk.
After a few classes from 2:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. a person will then get to experience and interact in real trials. Seating is limited and must be reserved by calling 602-405-7564. Dress code is required as it is business setting. Ladies should wear a nice shirt with a pair of dress pants or a skirt, and gentlemen should wear dress slacks and a dress shirt with tie. Tennis shoes or dress shoes are also required.
Upcoming dates for teen court:
10/14/2010
11/4/2010
12/2/2010
1/6/2011
2/3/2011
3/3/2011
4/7/2011
5/5/2011
Location:
16081 N. Civic Center Drive, Surprise, Arizona
85374
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