The sudden popularity of Teen Courts

Abstract

Precursors to today’s teen court appeared at least 50 years ago. However, the modern idea of teen courts began to take shape in the 1970s. Today, advocates believe teen courts reduce recidivism and increase young people’s respect for the law by tapping the power of peer influence. The dominant youth presence in teen court is meant to demonstrate to young offenders that most young people are law abiding and that law breaking has consequences. This article presents an overview of the development and implementation of teen courts, also known as youth courts, as well as training recommendations for youth volunteers put forth by the National Youth Court Center (NYCC), effectiveness studies, and increased legislative support nationwide. The consensus appears to be that teen courts are an option worth pursuing, in that teen courts help to hold young offenders accountable for illegal behavior.