Who participates in Youth Court proceedings?
Youth Court proceedings involve an offender, jurors, and Youth Court members in the roles of judge, prosecutor, defender, clerk/bailiff, and jury foreperson with guidance from a Director. All participants are under age eighteen. The offender must complete the sentence imposed by the jury, and in addition, must serve as a juror on at least one, and possibly several, cases. Any young person can volunteer to be a juror and no special classes are necessary. Instead, they hear and see the evidence, listen to the instruction from the judge, consider the case in private, and agree on a sentence. What types of cases are heard in Youth Court? Cases are generally referred by judges, police, and probation departments to the Director, who accepts cases which meet established rules. Typical cases include shoplifting, criminal mischief, larceny, and vandalism. What does the jury decide? The jury can impose a sentence that includes community service, letters of apology and attendance at classes or wo
