Changing the court system to help young offenders

One of the largest and most pressing issues inMaine is the problem of over-incarceration. I believe the solution is criminal justice reform and the reduction of recidivism.

Most people interested in such things have heard of “the revolving door,” symbolizing the perpetual cycle of convicted people through the phases of our flawed justice system: get caught, 接受判决, 做的时间, 离开监狱时几乎没有什么支持, 重复.

From the very moment the judge pronounces you guilty, your chances of returning to jail or prison within three years increase by a staggering 43 percent, according to a 2011 Pew Charitable Trust survey.

这根本不是一个可以接受的统计数据, and only contributes to other dismal statistics such as prison costs, 失业和无家可归.

Our judicial system cannot continue as it has while people continue to cycle through jails and prisons.

新巴黎人注册网站该怎么办?? 答案是早点开始.

At-risk youth are one of the most important targets to address so that, 在后来的岁月里, these young men and women can contribute positively to society, not become another passenger in the revolving door.

去年夏天, an organization called Youth Move Maine decided this issue was simply too important to ignore. 一笔资金和两名员工之后, 缅因州青年法庭就此诞生, to directly tackle the enormous issue of how to reduce recidivism and get kids back on the right path.

Youth court is one of the many national initiatives to recognize that, in order to change such a drastic and long-term issue, one must think a little bit outside of the box. We can’t change anything until we change the system, or at least provide an alternative to the standard judicial process.

另外, youth court tackles a problem with growing recognition: the harmful practice of suspension or expulsion from school.

如果青少年犯了罪, ejecting and isolating this individual from their school community or extracurricular strengths has a backwards effect: It only increases the likelihood that the teen will 重复 his or her behavior.

At-risk teens are often faced with myriad problems that require support, 无论是家庭生活的问题, 药物滥用或同伴压力, and in order to truly address the root of one’s “bad” behavior so that it does not occur again, we have to provide this support and strengthen a youth’s bond with his or her community.

青少年法庭就是这么做的. Its process involves referrals of first-time high school- or middle schoolaged youths who have committed minor infractions such as possession, 故意破坏财物或偷窃. The youths are diverted — either directly by their schools as an alternative to suspension or expulsion; or by police officers, juvenile community corrections officers or the court — from a traditional punitive process. Youth court procedures also do not appear on a youth’s permanent record.

The most unique aspect of youth court is that it is nearly entirely youth-run. High school volunteers perform as advocates or judges to complete a hearing in which a disposition is decided for the young defendant known as a “respondent.”

The disposition can include anything from letters of apology, 每周和妈妈呆在一起, or playing basketball with the younger members of the Boys and Girls Club. The disposition is created by judges with four fundamental goals:

• 修复犯罪造成的损害;
• build knowledge, skills and resources for the respondent;
• create connections for the youth in his or her community and family; and build strengths by customizing the disposition according to interests or strengths.

The respondent is given three months to complete his or her disposition; incompletion could result in a return to the court, the school or wherever the first alley of punishment was.

The purpose of youth court is to provide an environment where youths are truly given a voice, and to create an alternative plan to a punitive sentence which focuses on education and fostering stronger relationships and values.

I have been a youth court volunteer since December 2012.

I must confess that, initially, I was not a believer.

And that is one of the major issues with creating true change in the criminal justice system. This nation has become so universally accustomed to the status quo that many have come to accept the revolving door not as a clear indicator of a major error in our system, 而是“顺其自然”.”

在青少年法庭工作让我大开眼界. Contrary to the cynical voice of 2012 in the back of my mind, the process actually works.

“克里斯”就是一个成功的例子,” who was caught for possession and use of marijuana on school property. His high school awarded him “student of the semester” before his youth court disposition had even been completed.

No, 青年法庭不是缅因州的灵丹妙药, but without these grassroots movements contributing town by town, 一个县一个县地, 新巴黎人注册网站怎样才能看到真正的变化呢?

如果你还不相信的话, you can read more about the program and the upcoming training for it in the Bath- Brunswick area at www.midcoastcasa.org.

苏菲RAFFEL 是新巴黎人注册网站学校的学生吗, an intern with the American Civil Liberties Union and a volunteer for the Maine Youth Court.