Teen Court: A National Movement
The Growth of Teen Courts
The date and location of the first teen court has not been conclusively established.
According to the director of the Town of Horseheads Youth Court in New York, their court
was established in July 1976 and was based on the model in use in Ithaca (N.Y.). The court
in Ithaca ended operation years ago, making the Horseheads court the oldest in the state.
Sharing the same longevity is the Grand Prairie Teen Court in Texas, also established in
1976.
Evidence shows that in 1991 there were over 50 teen courts in 14 states, including at
least 30 in Texas. By 1998, the number of teen courts is close to 500 in 45 states plus
Washington, D.C. Of those, 47 are in Florida, 59 are in New York, and 81 are in Texas.
Their rapid growth is compelling evidence that they are fulfilling a recognized need. The
implication of the growth is even more dramatic when one considers that teen courts have
traditionally been created by a wide variety of local organizations (e.g., Junior League,
American Legion Auxiliary, youth bureau, probation office, juvenile court, bar
association, YMCA, sheriff's office, police department) with no single central linking
organization.
Taking note of the grass-roots effort, the federal government began providing support
for teen courts in the 1990s. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSA) provided funds to the American Probation
and Parole Association (APPA) for a major teen court initiative. The initiative began in
1994 with a national survey of teen courts and the publication of Peer Justice and
Youth Empowerment: An Implementation Guide for Teen Court Programs (Godwin 1996). The
APPA also conducted a series of 13 regional training seminars and provided technical
assistance to more than nine agencies or consortiums interested in developing or enhancing
teen courts. In 1998, OJJDP hosted a satellite teleconference titled "Youth Court: A
National Movement" and funded major national grants for teen court evaluation (see
"Evaluation of Teen Courts") and training. In 1999 and 2000, OJJDP will manage a
multi-faceted national training and technical assistance program with the Departments of
Transportation, Education, and Health and Human Services.
A number of state governments also began providing support for teen courts in the
1990s. Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Stephens led the way when he established
teen courts in his state in 1992 through the Administrative Office of the Courts'
law-related education program. Minnesota launched a statewide teen court initiative
supported by Governor Arne H. Carlson, who earmarked $3 million for teen courts in the
1997–98 biennial budget. West Virginia passed legislation to establish pilot teen
courts in three of the state's 55 counties. North Carolina passed legislation establishing
three pilot teen courts in 1993. New York allocated $875,000 in federal Bureau of Justice
Assistance (BJA) funding to support 30 new teen court programs. New York State Division of
Criminal Justice Service received $150,000 from BJA to research the efficacy of teen
courts. Florida legislation passed in 1996 permitted funding for teen courts through the
collection of $3 from those convicted of violating a state criminal statute or a municipal
ordinance.
>>What are teen courts?
>>The Growth of Teen Courts
>>The Major Models
>>Steps for Implementing a Teen Court
>>Teen Courts and Law-Related Education
>>Delinquency Prevention; The Educational Role
>>Training
>>Profile: Salt Lake City's Peer Court
>>Student Courts
>>How Do Lawyers, Judges, and the Bar Support Teen
Courts?
>>Profile: A Lawyer's Inside View of Teen Court
>>Profile: The Wyoming Bar and Teen Court
>>Evaluation
>>Funding
>>Conclusion and References
>>Resources and Additional Information
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