Teen Court

"Teen Court got me more involved in my school and student life and made me
discover my true self and opened a whole new door for me."

Any high school student in the tri-state area interested in volunteering as a juror, attorney or bailiff for the Vanderburgh County Teen Court can download the application and liability form and submit it to Hillary Krantz, Teen Court Program Manager.

Youth Resources' Vanderburgh County Teen Court is an early-intervention/diversion program in the Vanderburgh County Juvenile Justice System that offers first-time youth offenders (ages 10-17) an opportunity to turn over a new leaf.

Juvenile offenders go before a jury of their peers and are represented by a peer defense attorney. The jury of high school students determines a disposition (verdict) based on restorative justice theory that emphasizes how crimes hurt relationships within our community. The jury's duty is to provide an appropriate sentence for the juvenile offender so they can understand their offense, its impact, and how to make healthy choices in the future.

The goals of Vanderburgh County Teen Court are to:

Interrupt developing patterns of criminal behavior among youth
Reduce recidivism rate of juvenile offenders in Vanderburgh County
Reduce the number of respondents who re-offend
Help juvenile offenders understand the impact their actions have on others (victims, their own family, and the community)
Improve guardian/parent involvement by requiring participation in the program with the juvenile offender
Give youth volunteers hands-on leadership opportunities and foster a career interest in the legal system and local authority processes
Build youth and adult partnerships
Engage young people in local community service

Juvenile respondents benefit greatly from the positive interaction with caring adults and youth, and their assigned dispositions help them understand why the offense they committed was wrong, how it affects others, and how they can get involved in activities for a more positive lifestyle. Families of respondents receive a more personal experience than what the standard probation process provides, and they are encouraged to develop a more supporting & healthy family environment at home. Youth who volunteer in Teen Court substantially improve their leadership and communication skills as well as their awareness to the issues that their peers are facing.

Since the first official hearing in 2005, Teen Court has involved over 340 youth volunteers in the roles of judge’s observer, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, bailiff, and jurors. Additionally, more than 1,775 hours have been completed in local community service by the juvenile offenders as part of their sentencing.

Teen Court