Statement Of Purpose: The Teen Court Program

As an intern at Juvenile Service Department, I work with the CCP and JASS programs. I am responsible for getting in contact with the youth and family to schedule appointments for services. I conduct the intake assessments, and Youth Level of Service assessment to see which services will be effective for the

Juvenile Justice Centers can teach inmates important character traits. In this article about the Juvenile Justice Center program called the Diversion Male Court (DMC) it states, “All participants are

Service in the school and community is an insight to your character and work ethic. I have over 20 hours of community service from many different experiences. Last summer I worked for Camp Barakel, a summer camp, in the kitchen. I assisted in serving food and cleaning. I learned discipline and teamwork through this valuable experience. Not only this I’ve worked with the Elderly in Rehabilitation centers and the patience and nurturing qualities is something that will forever be valuable in my life. Last but not least working as Big Sister or Buddy to a 4th grade girl has given me the chance to positively impact and influence her life as simply as having a friend is immense. All of these service opportunities as added to my character and prepared me for the responsibilities of

As surprising as it may sound, I have been doing community service since the sixth grade and it is a new experience each time. It all began with a community clean up known as 'Keep McAllen Beautiful' as we got there everyone seemed excited to be there. It was beautiful to see such unity inside of my community, and I decided from then on that I would like continue helping out where it is needed. As I joined the National Honor Society my chances of providing my services increased, and I decided that I would assume a position of leadership when needed. I became the society's president, which allowed me to develop my time management skills, creativity, and efficiency. I organized an fundraiser for the hurricane Harvey disaster victims where all

The Teen Court program of Seminole County is where I volunteer as an attorney. I could be either a prosecutor or a defense attorney for the teen offender. In both jobs, I am to defend or prosecute a defendant based on facts from only a sheriff report. When I am a defense attorney, I am there to question and soothe the defendant and his or her parents, as most of the times they are nervous and defensive, respectively. During the interview with the defendant, I uncover any facts that could help the defendant’s case during the trial, and explain to the defendant the format of the trial. I alternate between defense and prosecution every week. In prosecution, it is expected that I could build case against the defendant with only information from

As soon as I entered the class, there was a man sitting in our class. His name was Paul Shapiro, and he was from the Orange County Courts. He explained to us what the community court is, and what kind of effect it has on our society. During mid-1980s, crack cocaine was widespread and people kept going back to prison. To cut this infinite loop of incarceration, Orange County made the drug court. It is not like a real court, but rather similar to a program that helps drug addicts free themselves from drug dependence. Unlike other courts, the prosecutor, the attorney, the probation officer, and the judge in the drug court work as a team.

I have a natural knack for the study of law. I enjoy inventing and improving systems and I love children. During my internship with the Juvenile Court Institute, I was able to take an in-depth look at the juvenile justice system. I was surprised at the overwhelming number of juveniles in the justice system. I was inspired by the volunteers that stood to make a difference in the children's life. I was also inspired by the judge's ability to choose a program that would rehabilitate the children, instead locking them up and throwing away the key. The question that I walked away with was, "What can we do to prevent the children from ending up in the system in the first place?" The court system has many programs to help the children and parents

Working with the Capital Area Teen Court Program, I represent local teens convicted of minor crimes. The experience has been cathartic. I learn about my clients' lives and passions, and I stand in a courtroom and defend them before a jury of peers. Volunteering as an attorney has improved my communication skills and prepared me for a future in appellate law where I hope to use the legal system to help the voiceless. I want to become a lawyer and one day, I hope to sit on the Supreme Court as an advocate for those who cannot help

“It helped me realize I was not around the right crowd and got me on the right path for my future,” states Emmalyne Sheridan, a current WVU freshman and experiencer of the teen court process. Teen courts are legally binding, sentence based courts for first time low-level juvenile offenders that aim to build character instead of issuing punishments. These courts consist of juveniles holding positions such as clerk, prosecuting and defence attorneys, bailiff, and the jury. The entire process is completed with little adult involvement resulting in an almost completely teen run system. Some may argue that these programs are useless and just delay the process of actual teen reformation, but this is not the case. Teen court programs should be established and utilized in all jurisdictions because of their use of reform over punishment, influence, and establishment of a future pathway.

I have been volunteering at teen court since eighth grade and currently am in my fifth year in the program. Many teenagers in my community commit crimes such as larceny, affray, possession of drugs, etc., but are unaware of the consequences when such incidents occur. Teen court alleviates the worst case scenario of these adolescents having a blemish on the record – a blotch that could hinder future college and job prospects. Instead of just merely facing punishment, the defendants that undergo teen court are given constructive sentences such as community service or teen court jury duty. However, there is another catch. Their peers take over all of the traditional courtroom roles, from jurors to clerks to bailiffs to even attorneys. The only traditional role taken over by an adult is that of the judge, who is generally an actual judge or

I believe that teen court is a very helpful program that gives juveniles who committed a crime a second chance to get back on their feet so they don’t have a horrible record behind them.

Teen courts on the other hand specialize in handling youths in a juvenile setting. The evidence on the effectiveness of teen courts are mixed as well, many studies shows improvement

The subject I chose to write about is juvenile incarceration, and its effect on society. This subject has been of interest to me since I became an employee of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, a government agency which operates educational facilities for incarcerated youth in Southern CA.

“Community Service is important for many reasons. Taking part and volunteering teaches compassion and understanding. You can volunteer for something you really believe and have an interest in, and can volunteer as much or as little as you'd like or have time for.” Community service is really easy to get into. I mean, it is not like you have to put out an application and have an interview in order to do it. It is really easy to get into, and is really fun. It is things you wouldn’t even think are considered, like:

I want to start my career in the Juvenile Justice System. I want to become a Juvenile probation officer. I have had an interest in this field since I first worked at they Boy’s and Girls club back in 2012. I worked there for two years. I was able to interact with youth from all different backgrounds and cultures. Living in the city of Brockton there are mainly two pathways for youth either you going a sport and continue with it till you graduate HS or join the streets and start the gang life at a young age. Working with the youths from my city made me gain a broader perspective of these two paths ways and how the two differ from each other. As a Brockton community member I want to help those who took the wrong path in life and help them achieve