Youth Court May Reduce Suspensions

 

Some schools across the nation are experimenting with “Youth Court,” a program where students accused of various infractions from being tardy, to truancy to smoking are given the choice of suspension or coming before a jury of their peers. In the court session, first time offenders are questioned by peers and a punishment is handed out such as community service or anger management classes. A teacher and a lawyer assist as advisers and help recommend appropriate punishments. All offenders have to serve jury duty at least once during the year.

A case study in Roanoke, VA at Patrick Henry High school found that 70% of students who participated in the system found it favorable to suspension, while 21% wished they had chosen suspension because, “suspension was easier that apologizing and doing community service.” Some 56% of those who had participated in the system had no additional behavior problems that year, and the process eliminated 133 suspensions.

 

Source: www.safeyouth.org and Roanoke Times.