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A Perth Amboy youth court meets in May 2006. Jersey City plans to replicate the program, meant for juvenile offenders. Aristide Economopoulos | The Star-Ledger

(Star-Ledger file photo)

Jersey City plans to establish the city's first youth court, a diversionary program intended to keep young people facing minor offenses out of the criminal justice system by having them represented, judged and sentenced by their peers.

The program, which is active in 49 other states and Washington, D.C., is the most replicated and fastest growing juvenile intervention program in the nation, according to the American Bar Association. Jersey City hopes to begin recruiting young people to participate this fall.

Kevin Callahan, a retired Hudson County Superior Court judge who now teaches at Saint Peter's University, called the city initiative "tremendous.

"It's a very positive thing," Callahan told The Jersey Journal. "Anything that divert young people from the path of getting a jacket on them, I'm all for it."

Newark currently has a youth court, and Perth Amboy had a similar program for about a year starting in 2006. Young people facing minor offenses face a judge and jury of other young people, and they are represented by other young people. The language is different -- defendants are respondents, lawyers are advocates, sentences are mandates -- but it works much like a traditional court.

Any youth that participates must agree to do so. They are generally accused of offenses like fighting, negative behavior or outbursts toward teachers, truancy and more, according to Jethro Antoine, with Center for Court Innovation, which help set up Newark's youth court and runs youth courts in New York City.

Antoine said having young people act as judges and juries imparts "positive peer pressure" to those in trouble, who receive punishments like community service or having to write letters of apology.



"They are giving them a clear understanding of the consequences of their actions on them, their families and the community," he said.

Jersey City expects to recruit about 40 young people to act as judges, attorneys and jurors, and it hopes the court will hear about 50 cases in its first year. The city has tapped Lucinda McLaughlin, a former Union County prosecutor, to help oversee the program. McLaughlin's salary will be $72,000.

A youth justice conference at Saint Peter's on Tuesday, Aug. 30 will give participants a chance to hear about the program and discuss criminal justice issues facing Jersey City youth.

"In cities across the nation, youth courts are making important strides in lowering juvenile delinquency rates and diverting young people from entering the justice system," Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement. "We are thrilled to introduce the Youth Court program to Jersey City, which will serve hundreds of youth from across the city and help put them on a positive path to success."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.