Teens Help Mete Justice To Peers
November 14, 2017 at 6:33 p.m.
By Michael [email protected]
Kosciusko Cares Teen Court will be a diversion program aimed at first-time offenders.
The probation department will refer some juveniles to teen court, where one of the members will be a prosecutor, one will serve as the defense attorney and the rest will serve as the “peer jury.”
The jury will decide sanctions for the offender, which could be community service or restitution.
If a juvenile completes the teen court sanctions, their charges will be removed from their record.
Seven girls went through the training to become the first members of teen court.
The girls hail from Warsaw, Wawasee and Triton high schools.
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They were sworn in by Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates Monday night at the K21 Health Pavilion.
Cates, who handles all juvenile cases in the county, said his juvenile caseload has risen 25 percent since he began as a judge in 2015. He said he was glad to have another option in his cases.
“The more options I have, the better,” he said.
Cates said juvenile court is aimed at rehabilitating offenders so they don’t come back to adult court.
Defense attorney John?Barrett will act as the judge for the teen court.
The members of the court are Rosalie Garro, Lesley Tayagua, Haley Carson, Sydney Stotler, Kaylee Denney, Grace Miller and Meredith Phipps.
Kosciusko Cares Teen Court will be a diversion program aimed at first-time offenders.
The probation department will refer some juveniles to teen court, where one of the members will be a prosecutor, one will serve as the defense attorney and the rest will serve as the “peer jury.”
The jury will decide sanctions for the offender, which could be community service or restitution.
If a juvenile completes the teen court sanctions, their charges will be removed from their record.
Seven girls went through the training to become the first members of teen court.
The girls hail from Warsaw, Wawasee and Triton high schools.
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They were sworn in by Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates Monday night at the K21 Health Pavilion.
Cates, who handles all juvenile cases in the county, said his juvenile caseload has risen 25 percent since he began as a judge in 2015. He said he was glad to have another option in his cases.
“The more options I have, the better,” he said.
Cates said juvenile court is aimed at rehabilitating offenders so they don’t come back to adult court.
Defense attorney John?Barrett will act as the judge for the teen court.
The members of the court are Rosalie Garro, Lesley Tayagua, Haley Carson, Sydney Stotler, Kaylee Denney, Grace Miller and Meredith Phipps.
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