NCJ Number
87951
Date Published
1981
Length
41 pages
Annotation
Courts can initiate and operate law-related education programs which offer students and teachers in the local school system the chance to learn about the law and the legal system while interacting with such practitioners as judges, prosecutors, court officers, plaintiffs, defendants, and probation officers.
Abstract
These personal contacts can demystify the judicial system and help students develop a realistic attitude toward the law. Judges' concerns about starting such programs center around the adequacy of resources, the need to avoid disruptions to court procedures, school and community attitudes toward the effort, and cooperation from other agencies. A court-based program should avoid being overly ambitious in scope and should use volunteers rather than special funding. The program coordinator should be a staff member who has some experience working with students or a volunteer. The coordinator schedules class visits, arranges orientation and followup sessions, schedules speakers during the class visits to the court, develops and distributes orientation materials, and maintains the program's smooth operation. Providing law education seminars for teachers, arranging for speakers during court recesses, and planning activities for unexpected extra time periods can all be parts of a law-related education program. Planners should choose objectives, activities, and organizational models which meet the needs of their specific communities. Programs which involve continuing training of teachers or students require clear communication of information both between the court and the schools and within the court itself. Guidelines for conducting specific program components, sample topics for a law education seminar, and sample handouts given to students visiting court are included.