NCJ Number
179626
Date Published
1999
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the origins and achievements of the Red Hook Youth Court in Brooklyn, N.Y., one of the first youth courts in the country to serve a densely populated low-income community.
Abstract
A number of forces coalesced to create a youth court in Red Hook. Since 1994 the Center for Court Innovation has been leading an effort in Red Hook to create a community-based justice center modeled after the Midtown Community Court in Manhattan. As part of a community needs assessment, planners from the Center held extensive discussions with neighborhood residents and leaders. Local residents urged planners to create some sort of early intervention for youth. Because the Center knew that building a justice center would take years, in the interim it was crucial to build credibility with the local community. Planners looked for a project that could be established quickly and effectively to demonstrate their commitment to the neighborhood. The Center convened a series of focus groups with local parents and youth. Out of these groups, enthusiasm for a youth court emerged. The initial challenge was to find a core group of youth willing to articulate standards of behavior, in effect setting norms for other teens. The youth court departed from familiar models by having an active jury. Jurors carry the weight of the hearing; they are expected to take the lead in questioning defendants. Jurors are trained to craft constructive sentences that combine accountability with help for the offender. The youth court has at its disposal a range of community service possibilities. This paper presents some examples of how the youth court has helped particular youths.