The door opens, and the judge, draped in legal-grade black, enters the room.
A bailiff gruffly commands everyone present to “please rise,” and proceeds to swear in the jury members.
Silence settles on the courtroom as a fresh-faced youth and his mother are ushered in and seated at the defendant’s table. The trial is about to begin.
This isn’t a pivotal scene out of television’s Law and Order. It’s a legal case being heard in Santa Maria’s Teen Court program on Aug 11.
Run through the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the program acts as an early intervention for first-time offenders by diverting them out of the traditional juvenile system. The goal of the program, which has been serving Santa Barbara County since the early 1990s, is to prevent teens from developing a criminal record while still holding them accountable for their actions.
There’s also one other element that makes this court unique: Unlike typical courtrooms, Teen Court is basically run by teens.
“Teen Court is the new wave—it’s really a revolutionary movement of juvenile justice,” said Teen Court program director Eduardo Cue.
The program is so revolutionary, he explained, because it allows teens to be tried by a jury of their peers. In most cases, the only adults present are the judge and Teen Court employees. Juries are usually comprised of student volunteers and students who are going through the program themselves.
“Teen Court empowers all teens in the community to get involved,” Cue said. “Participants are responsible to scrutinize their peers by asking questions about the behavior that may have brought them into the court system.”
At Teen Court, the jury isn’t responsible for determining whether or not the defendant is guilty. In order to participate in Teen Court, teens must take responsibility for their actions. After that, they’re given the option of going before a jury of their peers, who are then responsible for determining the consequences.
The crimes typically seen at Teen Court are referred to as “first-time offenses,” including petty theft, fighting, and possession of drugs or alcohol.
However, Cue said, while crimes committed by Teen Court participants are usually considered “smaller” crimes, that doesn’t always mean they’re first-time offenses.
“In 75 percent of the cases, it’s not an isolated offense,” he said. “Kids probably have been using drugs and committing other crimes, but this is the first time they’ve been caught.”
Cue said that Teen Court has a 90 percent completion rate and a significantly low recidivism rate.
“Approximately 90 to 92 percent of our teens don’t re-offend,” he said.
But that doesn’t mean the teens are getting off easy.
Jury punishments include writing essays, and letters of apology, restitution, mandatory jury duty, and attending classes on crime awareness, conflict resolution, and drug and alcohol education.
Teens convicted of a drug and/or alcohol-related crime must take the drug and alcohol education class, and are sometimes required to participate in counseling through local treatment programs. Teens are also required to complete assigned hours of community service in the courtroom, in the classroom, or in the community.
Teen Court participants are expected to pay a minimal program fee, as well as $35 for each class. Fees are based on a sliding scale.
Crystal Moreno, program manager of the North County Teen Court program, said that participation in Teen Court can be a transforming experience.
“There are a lot of misconceptions out there about juvenile hall and probation,” Moreno said. “In school, students aren’t taught about the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Everything they hear is either through their peers or through their own personal experiences.”
“Teens don’t realize that [after committing a crime] you really lose your freedom and your right to choose,” she said.
Plus, Teen Court is more than just a system through which teens receive their punishment, Moreno said. It’s also about forming relationships.
Program caseworkers work with each teen for approximately three months, reviewing their cases and monitoring their progress. Also, the caseworkers maintain contact with the teens’ parents and school administrators to ensure that they’re fully participating in the program.
Teens are also given the opportunity to form relationships with key members in the community, such as law enforcement officials and Superior Court judges, who volunteer their time in court and in the classroom.
The experience has been surprisingly rewarding for one Teen Court participant.
“Coming into the program, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m set in my ways,’” he said. “But the classes really helped.
“I thought [the staff members] were going to be just like teachers—there because they have to be,” he continued. “But they’ll give you advice and really talk to you, not just because it’s their job.”
INFOBOX: The jury is in
Teen Court meets every Monday in Santa Maria. It also has programs in Lompoc, Santa Ynez, and Santa Barbara.
For more information about the Teen Court program, visit www.cadasb.org or call 963-1433 (South County) or 925-8860 (North County).
Contact Staff Writer Amy Asman at aasman@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 14-21, 2008.