Conclusion

State and local jurisdictions across the country are embracing teen court as an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system for their youngest and least serious offenders. Many jurisdictions report that teen court increases young offenders' respect for the justice system and reduces recidivism by holding delinquent youth accountable for what is often their first offense. Moreover, a teen court may be able to act more quickly and more efficiently than a traditional juvenile court. Researchers are beginning to accumulate a body of findings on the effectiveness of teen courts, but more detailed information is needed for future practice and policy development.

The information discussed in this Bulletin is part of the Evaluation of Teen Courts Project, OJJDP's response to the need for more detailed research about teen courts. The project, which is being conducted for OJJDP by researchers at The Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center, is the first national, multisite evaluation of teen courts and youth courts. Four jurisdictions are participating in the study—Anchorage, AK; Tempe, AZ; Rockville, MD; and Independence, MO. The teen courts in these communities were selected for the study to maximize the number of courtroom models represented, the mix of geographic locations, and the overall quality and length of service of each program. The project features a quasi-experimental design with data in each jurisdiction being collected on a group of teen court participants and a comparison group of youth handled using traditional juvenile court procedures.

The Evaluation of Teen Courts Project is designed to address some of the key issues facing policymakers and practitioners as they consider investing more heavily in teen court programs in their own jurisdictions. The study will provide answers to the following questions:

  • What do teen courts actually do with young offenders?

  • What type of sentences are typically imposed on youth, and do the youth comply?

  • Are youth and parents satisfied with their experiences in teen court?

  • Do young offenders referred to teen courts have lower rates of recidivism than those handled in the traditional juvenile justice system?

  • Do juveniles show improved attitudes toward law enforcement and the courts and improved relations with peers and family, and do they have a better understanding of the consequences of their illegal behavior?

  • Do these outcomes vary across teen court models and across subsets of offenders?

  • Have the most experienced teen courts learned any lessons that can be shared with other jurisdictions?

  • What community-level factors contribute to the success of teen courts?

Findings from the entire Evaluation of Teen Courts Project will be available in 2001. Policymakers and practitioners will be able to draw on the study's findings as they consider whether teen courts and youth courts should play a more prominent role in each jurisdiction's system for responding to youthful offenders.



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Teen Courts: A Focus on Research Juvenile Justice Bulletin • October 2000