Orleans County Youth Court seeks members

Membership applications are being accepted for Orleans County Youth Court. Applicants must be 14 to 18 years of age, residents of Orleans County and in high school.

The Orleans County Youth Court began in the fall of 1996 as a way to cut down on the number of Family Court cases. Youth Court is a peers-helping-peers program, where members serve as judges, defense and prosecuting attorneys and court clerks. Since hearing their first case in December of 1996, Youth Court members have given dispositions on over 210 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, or referrals to other agencies such as mental health counseling or drug/alcohol counseling if deemed necessary.

To become a Youth Court Member, individuals must complete an application, attend training and achieve at least an 80% 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. Applications are also available at Orleans County Probation and Orleans County high school guidance offices.

April 9, 2006