Sue is an excellent student in her high school, a strong athlete and responsible daughter at home. Now she has a delinquency record for a heat-of-the-moment mistake she made.  Karen bowed to peer pressure while with friends and now has a delinquency record, too.   But peer pressure – in reverse – will hopefully persuade both teens to change their lives.  If all goes well in the next six months, Sue and Karen (not their real names) will have their cases dismissed and maintain unblemished records. That hope has been made possible through Teen Court.

A brand new program in Wood County, Teen Court is a diversion program which gives a first-time minor offender an alternative to appearing in juvenile court. Instead, the offender appears before a jury of his or her genuine peers, as in 15- and 16-year olds, who make up Teen Court.
The group consists of a small group of responsible teens, chosen from local high schools, who act as the defense and prosecuting attorneys, plus jury. Teen Court meets the second Wednesday of each month in the Wood County Juvenile Court and hears two or three cases each session.

The program was begun by Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson in cooperation with Wood County Juvenile Court Judge David Woessner. It is modeled after the successful Teen Court program used in Stark County which was observed by Director of Youth Services & Programs Christy Snyder and Assistant Brandy Hartman. The women incorporated aspects of Stark County’s program when founding the local one.

They visited the social studies/government classes of sophomores and juniors in all of the county’s high schools, plus Penta, to explain the idea of Teen Court. Interested youth filled in applications, and from them the volunteers were chosen. Eight high schools are represented.  The students were instructed in their work, and each week bring their training packet. Snyder said while they have a dialogue to follow, “they make it their own.”

Offenders qualify to appear before Teen Court only if it’s their first offense and their crime is a misdemeanor which doesn’t include drugs or alcohol, such as truancy, petty theft, criminal mischief or misbehavior at school.

“We’re turning teen pressure on its head,” said Dobson. “We’re giving them positive peer pressure to make a difference in their lives.”  He noted research has shown young offenders “react very well to … the positive influence of kids their age and what to do to correct that and move on.”

During the two sessions of Teen Court held Wednesday evening to decide the fates of Sue and Karen, one student represented the state by appearing as the prosecuting attorney. The teen briefly cited the incidents of the case based on the police report he had read and made a recommendation for sentencing. A second teen acted as the offender’s defense attorney, citing mitigating circumstances and past good behavior, along with recommending a lesser sentencing. The remaining teens served as the jury, and Dobson was the hearing officer.

Each of the two sessions had a different teen serve as prosecutor and defense attorney. All of the youth were given a chance to ask questions and to hear comments from the offender and/or the offender’s parent seated with them.
The jury was then sequestered in a separate room and returned to the courtroom to pronounce its sentence. The offender has previously admitted guilt in an arraignment, so Teen Court members only announce what they have chosen for the sentencing sanctions. Each hearing lasted about 45 minutes.

Sentencing options include any combination of a written or face-to-face apology, writing an essay, community service, taking a tour of the Juvenile Detention Center, attending a theft offender program and continued good behavior at home, school and community.  The offender is given 45 days to complete all of the immediate sanctions. If everything has been completed by then, and they go six months with no trouble, their case is dismissed and they no longer carry a record of delinquency. If they fail, their case returns to court for regular sentencing.

Chief of the Juvenile Division Timothy Atkins said offenders outside of Teen Court keep the delinquency on their records, can be assigned anywhere from one to 90 days in the Juvenile Detention Center, serve probation and could have their licenses suspended.

After the courtroom cleared each session, Dobson posed questions to the teens about what they had just done and praised them for aspects of their work.

The unidentified students on Teen Court were united in understanding the significance of their role as it relates to the offenders. “It’s a second chance,” said one.  “It’s like a diversion of getting away from a real courtroom,” said another.  “For us it’s like rehabilitation. It’s not on (their) record.”
A third teen said the punishment they decide is “what fits best. It makes them learn their lesson.”

Teen Court members also realize the personal significance of their work. “It made me realize this is what I want to do in my future,” said one girl. Two other teens indicated they were also interested in making law a career choice.  “It is definitely a good learning experience,” said another.
“It is nice to be in a group of peers and get along where normally schools are so far apart,” stated one boy.