101 Reasons For Using a District Teen Court
There are many valid, logical, financial, reasonable and moral reasons for the use of a district teen court program that will benefit each of the following categories
:
Court, Law Enforcement Agencies, Schools, Tax Payers, Neighborhoods, Business Community, Civic Organizations, Families, Teenagers
For the Court:
Reduces court time in dealing with youths
Reduces back log of cases
Provides faster handling of cases
Reduces time used in case arguments and presentation of evidence
Increases amount of cases pleading guilty or no contest
No loss of court cost ordered to be paid by defendants
Teen defendants often come before the Court requesting Teen Court Deferral
Preprinted forms reduces court's time in preparing paperwork for deferred adjudication
Preprinted forms are easy to use and understand
Free training in use of forms
Preprinted documents explaining use of teen court eliminates Court's explanation of program.
Reduces cases in which defendants are represented by attorneys
Reduces cases in which the defendant pleads innocent
Reduces court staff's time in handling of cases
Holds teenagers accountable for their own actions when acting away from parent's control
Holds parents accountable for children's actions when parenting control is not exercised
Permits referral of both the teenager and the parents to teen court enrichment program
Reduces cases of repeat offenders
Reduces time used in listening to witnesses
Reduces or eliminates plea bargaining
Reduces chances of cases being appealed
Reduces handing of new cases of teenagers that do not do the crime to avoid doing the time
Friends of referred teens consequently steer away from crime and the courts
Provides a resource for community service workers to help staff in filing, etc.
Provides Court and staff an opportunity to participate in mentor program
Provides greater respect for the courts
Provides a cost efficient process for handling juvenile cases
The program can be voluntary or mandatory
For Law Enforcement Agencies
Reduction of juvenile crime allows concentration of time on other crimes
Reduces or eliminates time used in capturing, stopping, or apprehending repeat offenders
Reduces or eliminates crimes by friends of teens previously committing crimes
Reduces time used to testify in court
Reduces time wasted going to and from court to testify in cases
Reduces paperwork
Reduces loss of funds better used for other purposes
Reduces loss of time used in investigating juvenile related crimes
Reduces loss of money used in investigating juvenile related crime
Opportunity for law enforcement Explorer Units of BSA to participate as bailiffs in teen court
Increases respect for law enforcement
Provides a volunteer source of crime stoppers
Provides a volunteer source for crime prevention reports
Provides agencies with new friends and partners in crime prevention
Provides law enforcement personnel an opportunity to participate in mentor program
Reduces or eliminates future adult crimes
Reduces or eliminates
Reduction of future adult crime allows concentration of time on other crimes
Reduces or eliminates time used in capturing, stopping, or apprehending repeat adult offenders
Reduces or eliminates crimes by future adult friends of teens previously committing crimes
Reduces time used to testify in court in future adult cases
For Schools
Better behaved students
Higher youth leadership displayed
Reduces or eliminates crime on campus
Reduces or eliminates disruptions in classroom instruction
Reduces or eliminates crime at school functions
Reduces or eliminates crime before and after school hours
Reduces or eliminates crime before of after school functions
Better teaching environment
Better learning environment
Higher scholastic results
Higher graduation percentage
Lower dropout rates
Less truancy
Reduction or prevention of loss of tax assistance due to truancies and other absent students
Teen peer mentors
Teen peer role models
Teen peer tutors
Less tension from fear of criminal activities such as theft, vandalism, assaults and more.
Lower insurance rates
Increased youth participation in classroom activities
Increased youth participation in extra curricular activities
Increased school pride
Reduce or eliminate financial losses due to juvenile crime such as graffiti, vandalism, fire, etc.
Happier students, better grades
Happier teaching staff, less teachers leaving the school district for jobs else where.
Cleaner schools
Increased involvement by parents
Increase in community support
Increase in financial support from various sources
For Tax payers
Reduce or eliminate the need to increase school taxes due to
higher insurance rates
repairs due to vandalism
thefts
fire
maintenance
increased need for maintenance personnel
graffiti removal
increased need of security personnel
increased need for security alarm systems
increased legal fees due to defending cases for
legal rights violations
discrimination
injuries
substandard teaching and learning environments
loss of tax assistance due to
truancy (for fun)
dropouts
absences due to illnesses
absences due to fear
absences due to court cases
absences due to time behind bars
families moving in search of safer schools
families moving in search of schools with higher educational standards
families sending children to private safer schools
families sending children to private schools with higher academic standards
Reduce or eliminate the need to increase city, county, or state taxes due to
increased need of law enforcement officers
increased need of support staff for law enforcement
increased need for facilities for law enforcement officers and support staff
increased need for police vehicles
increased need for jail facilities
increased need for juvenile facilities
increased need for food, clothing, etc for prisoners
increased need for maintenance personnel
increased need for vehicles and equipment for maintenance personnel
Better use of taxes
Satisfaction that taxes are being used efficiently and wisely
For neighborhoods
Reduces or eliminates crime in neighborhoods
Increases safe environment for children to play in
Provides youth models for smaller neighborhood children
Provides a youth job force of community service workers
Provides an increased desire to hire youths to do babysitting, lawn maintenance, other small jobs
Lower car insurance rates
Lower home owner insurance rates
Less maintenance due to vandalism and other criminal mischief
Increased pride in neighborhoods
Increased crime watch partners
Increased crime prevention partners
Reduction or elimination of gang related activities
Reasonable prices in neighborhood stores not having to offset shoplifting losses, vandalism, etc.
For Business Community
Limited tax liabilities
Increase in profits through reduced shoplifting
Increase in profits through lower maintenance costs due to lower vandalism, graffiti., etc
Increase in profits due to lower insurance costs
For Civic Organizations
Involvement with youths in organization that provides leadership
Ability to provide mentors
Ability to provide tutors
Ability to stay active in civic functions
Ability to recognize teenagers for the good deeds they do
Ability to recognize teenager's accomplishments previously having been problems themselves
Ability to reward youth leadership
Receive community service assistance
Teen partnerships in civic community service projects
For Families
Closer family unit
More understanding between family
More patience between family members
More support among the family members for each other
More quality time between family members
More love between family members
For Teenagers
Second chance to maintain clean record
Second chance to remain in school without being expelled
Prestige for involvement in a special organization dedicated to teenagers
Special training in job interview techniques
Special training in job retention, promotions, and salary increases
Training in time management for students to have the ability to do more and accomplish more
Training in attaining better school grades
Training in a variety of subjects to increase chances of landing a job
Opportunity to receive a scholarship
Receives certificates for training received
Receives certificate for completing teen court program
Receives certificate for court to dismiss charges
Participation in social events, such as barbecues, parties and more
Free tickets to the movies
Free gifts
Discounts to local stores
Discounts for various products and/or services
Certificates of appreciation for job well done
Certificates of recognition from other organizations
Ability to meet on a personal basis various personalities or members of various professions
Opportunity to make new friends
Training in law related education
Counseling
Regain trust from family, school officials, teachers, relatives, and friends
Regain respect from family members, school officials, relatives, and friends
Gain a healthier respect for the law
Gain a healthier respect for school officials
Gain a healthier respect for other peoples property
Learn methods of redirecting their negative energies into constructive, helpful and rewarding actions
They are listened to
They are treated with respect
They are given an opportunity to
They are given forms of love, often times not received anywhere else
They receive more freedom from parents
Self Respect
Self Worth
Self Dignity
Self Appreciation
Self Satisfaction
Self Recognition
Speech given by Dr. Paul Omaji of Australia at August 99 Conference
Should Teen Volunteers be Charged for Community Service on Teen Courts
Government vs Non-Government Supported Teen Court Programs
Recommended Teen Court Mock Trials
Nine Major Classifications of Teen Courts with 45 Sub Classifications of Teen Courts
101+ Reasons for Using District Teen Court Programs
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