 Student Opportunities
There are many specialized programs continually being launched in the Fresno Unified School District. This page is dedicated to highlighting unique opportunities for students to get involved at school.
One such program is Youth Court
WHAT IS YOUTH COURT?
It is a diversion program for students attending area high schools who are first-time offenders and who have agreed not to challenge police charges for misdemeanors such as petty theft, simple battery and graffiti. Unlike traditional courts, Youth Court functions primarily as a sentencing body and does not determine guilt or innocence. Detention within the traditional juvenile justice system is avoided, since sentencing options include community service hours, written essays, mandatory workshops/classes at the school site, and, in some cases, restitution anchored at the school site.
WHY?
Youth Court was developed as one alternative to the juvenile justice system.
WHEN DID IT BEGIN?
Youth Court began in October 1995 at Roosevelt High School in the Fresno Unified School District in cooperation with the Fresno County Probation Department, Juvenile Court, Police Department, and the Youth Fair Chance Program.
IS IT A REAL COURT?
Yes! Youth Court operates with the full authority of a court of law. The basic difference is that high school students comprise the youth court. The adults directly involved in the court process are the Judge, a Probation Officer, and a school coordinator. In addition, high school students are trained as jurors to make fair decisions regarding the sentencing of the defendants by the judge.
When a young person is referred with a misdemeanor, he/she is evaluated for diversion eligibility based on age, nature of the crime, previous record, and gang involvement. If the criteria are met, he/she is given the option of handling the case through standard juvenile procedures, or agreeing to not contest the charges and be sentenced by a jury of his/her peers.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
When a juvenile offender is referred by the Police Probation Team or other law enforcement representatives for a misdemeanor, he/she is given the option to participate in the Youth Court program. The defendant and a parent or guardian meet with the Probation Officer and/or school representatives to sign participation contracts. Youth Court is held and sentence is imposed for the offender to complete.
WHAT SENTENCES ARE IMPOSED?
Sentences consist of a maximum of 40 hours community service, written apologies to victims, and an essay relevant to the offense. Defendants may be asked to attend self-esteem seminars or other school-based programs totaling six or more hours and must serve as Youth Court jurors. Efforts are made to match the sentence to the crime and the circumstances that surround it.
Failure to appear or failure to complete a sentence within the specified time results in the case being referred back to the Fresno County Probation Department. If, however, the Youth Court sentence is completed, the defendant's record is fully expunged.
WHY DOES IT WORK?
Juvenile probation officers say that, of young people arrested for misdemeanors, about one-third will go on to commit more serious crimes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that less than 12% of juvenile offenders have been re-arrested in similar programs to the Youth Court program. This success comes from early intervention, before behavior becomes a criminal lifestyle, and the significance of teenagers sentencing other teenagers. Behavior is, to some degree, dictated by peers "telling it like it is," and the fact that peer pressure can influence behavior in a very positive way.
There is evidence to suggest that Youth Court has two clients - the defendants who are sentenced by their peers, and the students, i.e., the jurors, who comprise the "Youth Court." The jurors are trained to think analytically abut the various issues involved and to express openly their own opinions and convictions. Students make a genuine difference both in the lives of the defendants and in their own communities. Likewise, defendants are required to become a part of "Youth Court" once their sentence is complete. The establishment of this diversion program hopes to overcome frustration experienced by law enforcement and community at an over burdened juvenile justice system. Therefore, Youth Court provides the opportunity to redirect negative behavior and prevent the occurrence of more serious crimes.
| 
