Teen Court in the News

An article on the DailyBulletin.com, reports on the positive peer pressure and youth crime court happening in Los Angeles County, CA. It’s called Teen Court, where first time offenders of minor crimes are judged and disciplined by their peers. I found this article to be a very interesting read. Here is an example that really caught my attention:

“Teen Court also puts teens and families in contact with services they may not have considered - as was the case with a boy who came to court for possession of marijuana, she(Superior Court Judge Martha E. Bellinger) said. Through their questions the jury found out the boy's older brother had been killed in street violence and he was using marijuana in an effort to deal with the loss. The boy and his family were connected with grief counselors and other services, Bellinger said.”

So not only is discipline offered, but help is given too. Two thumbs up for this system, in my humble opinion. What do you think?

Related Resources: Parenting Troubled Teens