Orleans County Youth Court seeks members

Membership applications are being accepted for Orleans County Youth Court. Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 19, residents of Orleans County and enrolled in high school.

The Orleans County Youth Court began in the fall of 1996 as a means of cutting down on the number of Family Court cases. Youth Court is a peers-helping-peers program, where members serve as judge, defense and prosecuting attorneys and court clerks. Since hearing their first case in December 1996, Youth Court members have given dispositions on over 190 cases involving juveniles who plead guilty to minor offenses and misdemeanors such as criminal mischief, assault, petit larceny and truancy to those guilty of PINS (Persons in Need of Supervision). The offenders receive sentences that can include community service work, essays, letters of apology, a curfew, personal challenge programs or referrals to other agencies such as mental health counseling or drug/alcohol counseling.

In order to become a Youth Court Member, individuals must complete an application, attend training and achieve at least 80 percent on a final exam. For information on Orleans County Youth Court or to obtain a membership application contact Tricia Croce, Youth Court Designee at 721-8036 or croce@eznet.net. Completed applications are due by June 10.