NCJ Number
192706
Journal
Criminal Justice Magazine Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 1-9
Date Published
2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article first profiles the benefits of the Time Dollar Youth Court in Washington, D.C., followed by a summary of the unique features of the court, along with lessons, implications, and next steps.
Abstract
The Time Dollar Institute and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law planned and launched the youth court. The youth court developed differs from most other youth courts in that it does not use a youth prosecutor or defense counsel, because the planners believed that too often the process would become a contest between the verbal skills of the youth in these roles. Planners focused on the jury interacting directly with the respondent and the parent. An adult presides, but the jury foreperson, a teenager, leads the questioning and calls upon other jurors to ask questions and follow-up questions. After 2 years, policymakers decided to make jury duty a mandatory element of every sentence; there are now juries composed of 100 percent respondents and former respondents. The shift in role apparently creates a shift in perspective that has powerful attitudinal consequences. Each hour of jury duty earns one "time dollar." The reward is a recycled computer that jurors can take home with the time dollars they earn. The message for participants is that helping others creates opportunity. The University of the District of Columbia is making arrangements to enable jurors to use their time dollars in applying to the university. The Time Dollar Youth Court has been adopted by the District of Columbia Coalition Against Drugs and Violence as the umbrella project under which a variety of programs and agency efforts can coalesce.