Using Youth Courts As A Supportive School Discipline Practice

Welcome to Today’s Supportive School DisciplineWebinar Series Event!Using Youth Courts as aSupportive School DisciplinePracticeThis event will start at 3 p.m., EDT

2Q&AIf you have a question for the presenters, please type it inthe Q&A Pod during the Webinar.Feedback FormAt the end of the presentation, an event feedback form willappear. Please provide feedback on this event so that wecan better provide the resources that you need. All answersare completely anonymous and are not visible to otherparticipants.For assistance during the Webinar, please contactthe State Training and Technical Assistance Centerat sttac@air.org.

3Federal Partners WelcomeLinda RosenMember, Supportive School Discipline Working GroupU. S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice andDelinquency Prevention (OJJDP)

4SSD Webinar Series Increase awareness and understanding of schooldisciplinary practices that push youth out of school andmany times into the justice system. Provide practical examples of alternative approachesthat maintain school safety while ensuring academicengagement and success for all students.

5Available Technical AssistanceOffice of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s State Training andTechnical Assistance Center (STTAC)U.S. Department of Justicehttp://www.juvenilejustice-tta.orgNDTAC’s Supportive School Discipline Communities of Practice (SSDCOP)U.S. Department of ional Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Serviceshttp://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov

6Agenda1Restorative Justice Youth Courts in School Settings: Introductionand Key QuestionsNancy Fishman, Project Director, Youth Justice Programs, Center for Court Innovation2Dane County (Madison, WI) TimeBank Youth Court3Teen Court in Tucson, AZ SchoolsLorrie Hurckes, Co-Director and Youth Court Coordinator, Dane County TimeBankKate Spaulding, Coordinator, Teen Court in the Schools, Pima Prevention Partnership

7Restorative Justice Youth Courts inSchool Settings:Introduction and Key Questions forPlanning and ImplementationNancy FishmanProject Director, Youth Justice Programs, Centerfor Court Innovation

8Center for Court Innovation Non-profit think tank helping justice system and otheragencies develop problem-solving initiatives that strengthencommunities, aid victims, reduce crime, and improve publictrust in justice Operates seven community-based youth courts and hasworked with other programs around the city and state todevelop and improve their practices: New York City High School Youth Court Project: Assisting highschools to start school-based youth courts with a restorativejustice model

9Why Youth Courts? Potentially powerful tool to structure alternative responses todisciplinary problems Focus on accountability and responsibility through the lens ofpositive youth development Opportunity to demonstrate the power of civic engagement foryoung people and benefit from their leadership Shift some of the burden of maintaining community safety tolargest group of stakeholders, students, as a positive value, notsolely as a response to danger, disorder, and fear.

10What Is A Youth Court? Peer-to-peer model of addressing disciplinaryinfractions Tribunals of young people who have been trained tohear actual cases of offenses committed by otheryouth Estimated 1,100 youth courts nationally (2010 survey) 36% are school-based Flexibility in form and structure

11Common Components of Youth Courts Lower-level offenses Dispositional vs. adjudicatory Voluntary participation Dual goals of diversion from the traditional disciplinaryprocess and leadership development

12School Youth Court Goals Support students in learning how to modify behaviorsand make better choices Provide constructive alternative to suspension,detention, and other exclusionary disciplinarypractices Create civic engagement opportunity for students Strengthen school culture and community throughpositive peer pressure and student leadership

13Youth Courts and Restorative JusticeRestorative justice vs. Bugsy Malone

14What is Restorative Justice? Seeks a more constructive response to harm inflicted by people on oneanother Based on the hypothesis that people are happier, more cooperative andproductive, and more likely to make positive changes in their behaviorwhen those in positions of authority do things with them, not to them orfor them Originated in the 1970s as mediation between victims and offenders;broadened in the 1990s to include communities and collaborativeprocesses such as "conferences" and "circles" Has long-standing roots in many cultures including tribal societies andfaith traditions

15School Youth Courts asRestorative Justice ProgramsTo be restorative, youth courts should: Focus on repairing harm resulting from offenses, not punishingrespondents Recognize respondents' personal strengths and positive contributions tothe community Create a voice for the community, which is the victim of offenses andnegatively impacted Prepare and support community members to respond to negativebehavior in their community Create activities that allow respondents to repair harm and makemeaningful and positive contributions to the community

16Cases Typically Appropriate forYouth Court Cases for which the alternative penalty is sufficiently onerous that thereis an incentive to choose the youth court option Repeated or excessive low-level infractions, such as electronics use anddress code violation Vandalism and theft Truancy and chronic lateness Verbal altercations, insubordination, and conflicts with students or staff Some instances of fighting Bullying, harassment

17Youth Court Member Development Flow ChartRecruitmentYouth to apply to join youth court.TrainingSelected trainees participate in youth courttraining.Trainee Evaluation and Member SelectionStaff evaluate trainees for eligibility to becomeyouth court members. Staff select youth courtmembers from trainee class.Youth Court HearingsYouth court members hear cases.Youth Court CommencementSenior or exiting members of the youth courtgraduate.

18Case Development and Processing Flow ChartReferralReferral source submits case to youth court.ScreeningCase is not appropriate foryouth court and/oryouth/parent do not consent toyouth court.Staff reviews referred case for appropriateness for youth court.IntakeReturn to Referral SourceStaff contacts youth and parent(s) of appropriate case.Staff notifies referral source.SchedulingStaff researches case and schedules hearing.HearingYouth Court members conduct hearing and assign sanctions.Sanction MonitoringRespondent fulfills sanction requirements, monitored by staff.Case ClosedReferral source is notified of respondent’s fulfillment of sanctions.

19Youth Court Staffing Adult staff/teachers train the students, administer theprogram, and supervise hearings and other activitiesof student youth court members Staff may supervise sanctions such as communityservice and facilitate skill-building workshops Functions may all be done by one faculty member, asa class or an extracurricular activity, or shared amongseveral staff

20Key Decisions for Planning andImplementing Curricular vs. extra-curricular Court Model: peer jury, tribunal, youth judge, adult judge, etc. Types and number of cases Recruitment and training Staffing and supervision Sanctions Generating support from all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers,and staff)

21Challenges in Operating Youth Courts Staff and resource commitment Structural and logistical issues Conceptual challenges Reversing traditional hierarchy and trusting young people Understanding restorative justice “Wagging the dog” of school transformation

22Contact Information and ResourcesNancy FishmanProject Director, Youth Justice Programs, Center for Court Innovationnfishman@courts.state.ny.us Resources available at www.youthcourts.org: Youth Court Planning Guide Guide to Creating a Youth Court Operations Manual Additional resources available at www.youthcourt.net

23Dane County (Madison, WI) TimeBankYouth CourtLorrie HurckesCo-Director and Youth Court Coordinator, DaneCounty TimeBank

24What is timebanking? “Neighbors helping neighbors” Links individuals, social service organizations, public and privateinstitutions, food producers, neighborhoods, local businesses, and artsgroups to make it easier to share resources An exchange system: people help each other and receive credits fortheir service Process by which time is exchanged in order to build community, buildcapacity, and come together to help each other build a better world Aim is to pool time and talents to support projects that solve problemsin neighborhoods

25Core Values of Timebanking1. Assets - We are all assets.We all have something to give.2. Redefining Work - Some work is beyond price.Work has to be redefined to value whatever it takes to raise healthychildren, build strong families, revitalize neighborhoods, makedemocracy work, advance social justice, and make the planetsustainable. That kind of work needs to be honored, recorded andrewarded.3. Reciprocity - Helping works better as a two-way street.The question: “How can I help you?” needs to change so we ask: “Howcan we help each other build the world we both will live in?”

26Core Values of Timebanking (cont.)4. Social Networks - We need each other.Networks are stronger than individuals. People helping each other reweaves communities of support, strength, and trust. Community is builtupon sinking roots, building trust, and creating networks. Specialrelationships are built on commitment.5. Respect - Every human being matters.Respect underlies freedom of speech, freedom of religion, andeverything we value. Respect supplies the heart and soul ofdemocracy. When respect is denied to anyone, we all are injured. Wemust respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope theywill be at some future point.

27How Timebanking Works Timebank members earn credits for each hour they spend helpinganother member in the timebank. Services offered by members can include: child care, legalassistance, language lessons, home repair, and respite care forcaregivers, among other things. Timebank hours earned are then recorded at the timebank to beaccessed when desired.

28Dane County TimeBank Youth CourtProgram Mission: To provide a positive alternative to the justice system, so youthcan willingly take responsibility for their actions, make amends, and buildhealthy and productive relationships. Began in 2006 as a pilot project in an effort to prevent youth from enteringthe juvenile justice system: Started in the community running court sessions for youth referred byneighborhood police officers, who were able to refer youth to the program as analternative to writing tickets and sending youth through the traditional justicesystem. In 2008, the TimeBank began running youth court in LaFollette High School(LHS) in Madison. By 2012 the program was asked to expand into all of theMadison Metropolitan School District High Schools.

29Dane County TimeBank Youth Court:How It Works Modeled on Washington DC’s Time Dollar Youth Court Works with law enforcement, schools, and neighborhood groups Sends youth in trouble to a jury of their peers rather than through thecourt system Youth are referred by police officers and have the opportunity to gothrough the youth court process rather than receive a citation and gothrough the traditional court process. The peer jury generally sentences youth to (1) restore any harm thatwas caused and (2) take part in activities that can help the youthsucceed in the long run. When youths’ sentences are complete, they have the option to continuetheir service, earning timebank hours.