Our best wishes are with the Denver Community Court, which today will begin hearing juvenile cases in an innovative new approach to reducing crimes committed by young offenders.

Editorial: Courting juvenile justice

The pilot effort will focus on northeast Denver neighborhoods in the 80205 ZIP code area, including Cole, Clayton, City Park, City Park West, North City Park/Skyland, Five Points and Whittier. The juvenile segment is an extension of the court at Cole Community Justice Center, 3280 Downing St., which has been handling traffic, parking and other minor cases since 2000.

The Community Court will handle juvenile municipal violations by kids 10 to 18, such as shoplifting or curfew offenses. But there's a novel twist: The community will be involved in the process.

After a juvenile gets ticketed by police, community members — mostly volunteers — will contact victims to get statements about how they are affected by the crime. And offenders will be required to repair any damage to property they cause through the Crew Unique community service program. That's an important feature because it teaches youngsters there are consequences for breaking the law and that an individual ultimately is responsible for his or her acts.

Also, the community members will do an assessment of each juvenile offender to determine if there are ways to keep the youth from reoffending. Additionally, the community members will provide information to the judge prior to sentencing.

Community courts have been organized in only about 20 cities, including New York, where an in-depth study showed the concept to be effective in reducing crime and also in saving money. Court organizers say that traditional juvenile courts don't always work and sometimes are overburdened with too many cases. Community courts, they say, are less intimidating to kids because they're located in their neighborhoods rather than in an unfamiliar downtown setting.

That makes sense to us. And, we note, the surrounding community provides a subtle pressure that may be absent in a regular juvenile court. A juvenile may not care what some stranger thinks, but what the neighbors think may be another matter entirely. It also helps that the kids know their neighbors want to help keep them out of further trouble.

In addition to the volunteers, Amalio Payan, who grew up in the Cole neighborhood, will work as a mediator and youth supervisor for Crew Unique, and Debra Johnson, a former school-bus driver, has been specially trained as a restorative justice advocate to work with the young offenders.

Johnson, who's excited about the plan, noted that “the way things have been done hasn't been working anymore.”

The Community Court was a year in the making and resulted from meetings of residents, judges, district attorney's staff, police and other groups. If the Community Court, with its positive, constructive approach to juvenile justice, works out over time, it may serve as a model for similar efforts to reduce crime in other Denver neighborhoods. Like chicken soup, it can't hurt.

Editorial in Denver Post
8 September 2003
 

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~417~1611372,00.html

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