National Youth Court Guidelines

• NCJ Number: 187709
• Author(s): Tracy M. Godwin; Michelle E. Heward; Thomas Spina Jr.
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 155 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1999-JI-VX-K001
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Corporate Author: Council of State Governments; National Youth Court Ctr
• Sale Source: American Probation and Parole Assoc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

These guidelines provide a structure from which to build a solid youth court.

Abstract

Youth court programs have been in existence for more than 50 years. They provide communities an opportunity to impose immediate consequences for first time juvenile offenders, while providing a peer operated disposition mechanism that allows young people to take responsibility, be held accountable, and make amends for violating the law. The Guidelines will be supplemented with seven regional training programs, on-site technical assistance, and cross-site technical assistance, all designed to strengthen the role of youth courts as an effective local prevention and intervention resource. The book includes data on the need for national youth courts as well as guidelines on program planning and community mobilization, program staffing and funding, legal issues, identified respondent population and referral process, program services and sentencing options, volunteer recruitment and management, volunteer training, youth court operations and case management, and program evaluation. Notes, references, resources