Teen Court 2023-2024

Teen Court is a program in which juvenile offenders are questioned, defended, and sentenced by their peers.  They offer ways to engage the community in partnership with the juvenile justice system to respond to minor crimes by increasing the awareness of delinquency issues at the local level and by mobilizing youth and community members to take an active role in addressing the problem.

Benefits of Teen Court

·         Teen Court is not an expensive program, and it will save local governments money by reducing recidivism.

·         Teen Court provides a viable response to juvenile crime and permits local governments to show the community that they are serious about dealing with this problem.

·         This alternative approach, allows the juvenile court system to decrease their caseload and allows more severe cases to be handled more efficiently.

·         Teen Court provides a way for the community to get involved in helping troubled young people.  Community agencies can be involved in community service placements for the defendants, and jury members get involved in teaching youth court defendants about responsibility. 

·         Teen Court is about Youth Empowering Youth.

Teen Court is held at the Columbia County Courthouse on Ronald Reagan Drive in Evans.  We will meet at 5:00 p.m. to discuss our cases with court beginning at 5:30 p.m.  If you have any questions, please contact Kari Poss @ 706-650-5010.

Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/columbiactyteencourt/

Click Here to apply for Teen Court: application