Verdict in on Sisters' Teen court Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3 "I've seen a lot of growth among many youth in the community," Werner told the Sisters City Council at their meeting June 12. That growth doesn't just happen for teens who go before the court. Werner said 50 youths either volunteered or were required to serve as jury members, court officers or advocates, and virtually all of them benefited from the experience. Teens who are cited into the JET program for first offenses such as possession of alcohol, criminal mischief, or some theft charges have the option of facing the Teen Court or being sent to the county Juvenile Justice Department. Those who choose Teen Court face a judge and a jury of other teens who query them about the nature and the impact of their offense. Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3 The court is bound by strict rules of confidentiality, which observers are sworn to abide by. The court has heard 29 cases, and 15 offenders have completed their cases. Werner said that two teens had offended again, which puts the program's recidivism rate at 6.2 percent. That is well below the approximately 20 percent recidivism rate for conventional juvenile justice programs. While those numbers are encouraging, Werner noted that the long-term impact of the program can't be gauged yet. "We haven't heard a lot of cases, so it'll be a few years before we have hard figures," she said. Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3 Those funds are welcomed; the Sisters diversion program is growing with the community. The Juvenile Empowerment Team, which operates the court, has handled 64 youth offenders so far this year; the program had 69 cases in all of 1996. |
