Southwest Valley Youth Court

About Youth Courts

Youth Court programs strive to nurture in youth a respect for the rule of law, help develop positive citizenship attitudes, encourage civic engagement and promote educational success through a diversity of service learning opportunities, strategies and activities.

Youth Courts are structured to provide positive alternative sanctions for first-time offenders by providing a peer-driven sentencing mechanism that allows young people to take responsibility, to be held accountable and to make restitution. Positive peer pressure is used in youth courts to exert influence over adolescent behavior.

Civic Opportunities

In addition to imposing constructive sanctions for juvenile offenders, youth courts also offer a powerful set of civic opportunities for youth in the community. Youth volunteers actively learn the roles and responsibilities of the various parts of the judicial system. They act as law enforcement professionals, prosecuting and defense attorneys, clerks, bailiffs, jurors and even judges to gain experiential knowledge of the juvenile justice system.

The youth respondents and volunteers acquire valuable understanding about police and probation officers, youth services workers and court administration, paving a path for academic and career building opportunities.

Alternative Sentencing

Youth courts alternative sentencing results in reduced costs per case as compared to the traditional justice system and result in reduced recidivism rates. Youth courts are an effective strategy for reducing juvenile delinquency, allowing young people to take responsibility for their actions in benefit to their communities and to learn community engagement skills.

Additional Information

If you are looking for comprehensive information about the Youth Courts, it can be found at National Association of Youth Courts website.