[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               TEEN COURT

                                 ______


                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 1996

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make my colleagues aware of a 
phenomenal program for youth that has had a huge impact in Casa Grade, 
AZ--Teen Court. This is a program that can and should be replicated 
across the country.
  The American Legion Auxiliary's National President's Special Project, 
Teen Court, was the community service project that Fred A. Humphreys 
Unit 8 member LaVerne Rowe adopted. She called and received information 
from the Odessa, TX, Teen Court coordinator. Then she contacted Pinal 
County Juvenile Court Judge William O'Neil--a former first grade 
student of hers--and arranged for him to meet with members of Casa 
Grande 2000, a group organized to address community concerns about 
education and youth issues, to discuss the merits of bringing a Teen 
Court to Casa Grande. The response was overwhelming and Teen Court was 
on the road to becoming a reality.
  Mrs. Rowe took the next step by conducting initial interviews of Teen 
Court coordinator candidates. Judge O'Neil and Frank Sanders, director 
of Juvenile Court Services in Pinal County, ultimately chose Michelle 
Kmetz out of five finalists. Since October 5, 1994, Ms. Kmetz has done 
an outstanding job of making Teen Court a success in Casa Grande.
  Let me take a moment to say that it is very encouraging to see the 
American Legion take such an interest in our youth and work to make an 
investment in the future of our country.
  I would ask that the following newspaper articles be included in the 
Record. I urge my colleagues to read them and take this message back 
home. Our youth are worth it.

          [From the Casa Grande (AZ) Dispatch, Oct. 13, 1994]

 Pinal Teen Court Subjects Offenders to Jury of Their Casa Grande Peers

                        (By Shannon L. Pantelis)

       The promise of trial by a jury of peers will now extend to 
     some juvenile offenders in Casa Grande.
       Teen Court made its Pinal County debut Wednesday night. The 
     new program is available to first- and second-time offenders, 
     ages 9 to 17. Eligible offenses include shoplifting, criminal 
     damage, theft, assault, disorderly conduct, alcohol and 
     traffic violations.
       Michelle Kmetz, a probation officer with Pinal County 
     Juvenile Court Services who was hired to coordinate the 
     program, said it uses what is sometimes a negative influence 
     to make a positive difference.
       ``The premise that I believe in is that peer pressure works 
     both ways,'' she said. ``It can be both negative and 
     positive.
       ``We know peer pressure works negatively, we see that every 
     day. Now it's time to turn it around to work for us.''
       Patterned after a typical adult trial, Teen Court is an 
     official legal proceeding and the sentences are enforceable. 
     Presiding Pinal County Juvenile Court Judge William O'Neil 
     and Casa Grande City Judge Judy Ferguson will take turns 
     trying the cases.
       The defendant must admit guilt and agree to accept whatever 
     ``constructive'' sentence is determined by a group of six 
     jurors. The defendant's attorney pleads the case, while the 
     prosecutor argues the crime. Meanwhile the clerk and bailiffs 
     are busy doing their jobs of keeping order.
       The difference in Teen Court is that all involved--except 
     the judge--are teens themselves.
       The attorneys aren't high-paid counselors with law degrees 
     hanging on posh office walls. The bailiffs might be worrying 
     about homework or a math quiz the next day.
       The juries eventually will have past-offenders serving part 
     of their sentence on the panel, trying other kids.
       The current jury, attorneys, bailiffs and clerks are all 
     Casa Grande Union High School juniors and seniors who 
     volunteered to take part in the program.
       The program is meant to take some of the intimidation and 
     alienation out of the courtroom, while giving teens a chance 
     to take responsibility for their actions and those of their 
     peers.
       ``It is time that another generation started making 
     decisions for themselves,'' O'Neil said about the concept of 
     his Pinal County Juvenile Court Services program.
       Last week the crew went through a mock trial in front of 
     family, friends and people involved in bringing Teen Court to 
     Casa Grande. It will be the last time anyone outside of the 
     participants will be allowed to see Teen Court in action, 
     except the parents of those on trial.
       Confidentiality is stressed to participants. Before each 
     case, the clerk swears in everyone in the courtroom, 
     committing them to silence about everything and everyone 
     involved in the trial.
       Defendants and Teen Court participants are forbidden to 
     discuss the proceedings, testimony or sentences outside the 
     courtroom. Parents and friends are included in the gag order.
       At the mock trial, teens trained as Teen Court attorneys 
     acted as defendants, acting out real cases.
       Sentences are meant to be constructive, not just punitive. 
     Community service hours, tutoring, Teen Court jury duty, 
     letters of apology, attending workshops or paying a fine or 
     damages are among the jury's options.
       Many of the Teen Court participants are interested in law 
     careers themselves. Kmetz said that when she chose the kids 
     to participate in the first semester of Teen Court, she did 
     not exclude teens who had been in trouble themselves.
       She said she was most impressed with one applicant's answer 
     when she asked why he wanted to be a part of Teen Court.
       ``It's about time we (teens) got a chance to bring honor 
     back to our name,'' she said he responded.
       ``That's what it's all about, giving them the chance to 
     prove themselves and make it,'' she said.

          [From the Casa Grande (AZ) Dispatch, Oct. 13, 1994]

                         Judge Couldn't Refuse

       William O'Neil did not really have much choice about Teen 
     Court.
       Even now as the presiding Pinal County juvenile court 
     judge, he still listens to his teacher.
       ``When my first-grade teacher called me to tell me about 
     this, she said this was something we needed and have to 
     have,'' he said starting Teen Court.
       Retired teacher LaVerne Rowe had heard about the program, 
     which was started in Texas several years ago. She told her 
     now-influential pupil and told him to get going with it.
       At the same time, the education-support group Casa Grande 
     2000 was learning about Teen Court and trying to get the 
     program started in Casa Grande.
       Once the two groups got together, it was only months before 
     Teen Court was a reality in Casa Grande.
       O'Neil said the program was on his five-year plan of 
     programs to implement. He said his schedule was pushed up 
     about 4 years at the urging of Rowe and the interest of Casa 
     Grande 2000.
       With at least 3,000 juveniles being referred to Pinal 
     County Juvenile Court Services each year, alternatives were 
     needed.
       Juvenile Court Services Director Frank Sanders said the 
     area is in a ``state of crisis.''
       ``Business is booming'' he said about the juvenile justice 
     system.
       He said the Teen Court program in Casa Grande, which is 
     expected to eventually expand to other areas in the county, 
     was funded through the Arizona Supreme Court.
       The $40,000 went toward hiring director Michelle Kmetz, 
     training and contracting with Project Hope's Project YES, 
     which will be used to run the community service hours 
     ordered.
       The Casa Grande Teen Court has been patterned closely on a 
     similar program that has been working in Globe for about six 
     years.

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