ReElect Judge Chuck Snyder
Teen Court
Peer Pressure That Works The Right Way
In 1998, Judge Chuck Snyder and the staff at Northwest Youth Services were looking for a new way to help youth who had committed minor offenses. Judge Snyder read an article about a youth court in Texas, and the Whatcom County Teen Court was born.
Any parent can tell you that their kids listen more to their friends than they do to the adults in their lives. So why not have kids send the message that committing crime brings consequences? That is the principal behind Teen Court.
Chuck with Teen Court alumni Jessica Rodriguez and Namara Brede
along with program principals Cathy Beaty and Commissioner Marty Gross
What Are All Those Teenagers Doing in a Courtroom?
Come to Teen Court and you will see a courtroom, like any other courtroom, but something is different. The attorneys, called advocates, are teenagers. The clerk, bailiff, and maybe the judge are too. And over in the jury box, you guessed it – more teens.
In fact, adults are pretty much spectators in Whatcom County Teen Court. Judge Snyder can be seen unlocking doors, fetching water and moving chairs as the students present the cases, run the courtroom, and make the decisions. And they do a fine job, too.
It’s Real
Teen Court, the first of its kind in Washington, works like this:
The first time a juvenile commits a misdemeanor (shoplift, possession of alcohol, graffiti, and the like) they go before a diversion board. The board determines the punishment. The diversion, if successfully completed, doesn’t count toward a juvenile criminal history.
The second time, the youth goes to Teen Court. Although it counts as a diversion if successfully completed, it looks and feels very different. Now the offender is facing a jury that looks just like they do, and all the jurors know what it’s like to be a teenager. When they say what’s cool and what isn’t, the offenders listen.
It Works
Second time offenders who complete the Teen Court jury’s sentence reoffend less often than first time offenders, and they complete the requirements more often. A case in Teen Court costs far less than a formal prosecution, which is what would happen if there were no Teen Court. The bottom line is, it works.
Who Makes Up Teen Court
Teen Court draws from ten high schools throughout Whatcom County. Over 120 youth participate each year in the various roles. Volunteer attorneys serve as mentors to the advocates and often sit as judges as well. Students from each high school that participates serve on the Student Advisory Board, and make decisions about how the program works. The Teen Court students from Lynden and Blaine High Schools filmed a training video this year for court and for jurors in future years.
Recognized For Excellence
Teen Court has won two Liberty Bell Awards from the Whatcom County Bar Association, has been the subject of numerous television programs, and has been copied throughout Washington State. It is considered a best practice in juvenile justice.