[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL YOUTH COURT MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2006

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize September as National Youth Court Month. During September, 
more than 1,100 youth courts operating in district-level juvenile 
justice systems, schools, and community-based organizations in 49 
states and the District of Columbia will celebrate the fifth annual 
National Youth Court Month.
  Youth court--also known as teen court, peer court, and student 
court--is one of the fastest growing crime prevention and early 
intervention programs in the nation. Youth court volunteers, under the 
supervision of adult volunteers, act as judges, jurors, clerks, 
bailiffs, and counsel for youth charged with minor delinquent offenses 
and problem behavior. The overall goal is to help offending youth find 
an appropriate, constructive, and restorative disposition.
  This year, the theme of National Youth Court Month is ``Correcting 
Crooked Paths: Youth and Communities in Partnership for Justice.'' The 
theme addresses two very important aspects within the youth court 
realm: learning from mistakes and youth empowerment. Uniquely, youth 
and adults from a variety of entities in the community including 
justice agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and municipalities 
work side-by-side to address and solve local problems particularly 
related to juvenile crime and problem behavior.
  I visited several teen courts last year and was impressed by the 
power this innovative program has to change misdirected and challenged 
teenagers into productive and adjusted adults. I would like to 
recognize their efforts and those of so many other courts by 
proclaiming September 2006 as National Youth Court Month. I urge 
Americans to celebrate the valuable contributions that youth courts and 
their volunteers, adult and youth, make to keep our nation's 
communities safe.

                          ____________________