NEW YORK
Youth Court inductees will teach their peers
After seven weeks of intense training and a ten-page exam, a group of local school students are officially part of the City of Elmira Youth Court.
Family Court Judge David Brockway swore in 29 students from grades seven to 12. The kids will serve once a month as judges, attorneys and clerks in court cases of their peers. Youth Court gives the inductees a chance to learn the justice system and help kids their own age.
“I feel like I’m getting people off the streets and getting them away from trouble so they wont have more trouble in their lives,” said Hannah Daugherty, a 7th Grader at Ernie Davis Middle School.
Judge Brockway was part of a Youth Court in Ithaca more than 45 years ago. “The experience in this program is absolutely tops and produces some wonderful citizens,” he said.
Youth Court handles misdemeanor and violation offenders between the ages of seven and 15.
Youth Court Organizer Luanne Strauser says this program keeps troubled kids from being repeat offenders by teaching them about the law. “So many kids out there are doing things that they do realize they could get arrested for or that they’d be in trouble for and youth court educates them,” she explained.
The Youth Court Program also takes a heavy burden off the family court caseload and taxpayers.
Katherine Underwood
25 January 2010
