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PRINTER'S NO. 2072
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
422
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY FARNESE, GREENLEAF, FONTANA, COSTA, RAFFERTY,
YUDICHAK, BOSCOLA AND SCHWANK, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the use
and effects of youth courts in the education and juvenile
justice systems, establish an advisory committee to conduct a
thorough and comprehensive analysis of the benefits and
effectiveness of youth courts and report to the Senate its
findings and recommendations.
WHEREAS, Large numbers of Pennsylvania's youths experience
early contact with the justice system and are at greater risk
for future, more serious contact as adults; and
WHEREAS, This contact may affect and limit their opportunity
to contribute to society as adults and imposes significant costs
on communities; and
WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that the adolescent brain is
not fully matured, which may contribute to bad choices and
behavior; and
WHEREAS, Diversion programs help youths make better choices,
reduce contact with the juvenile and criminal justice systems,
reduce future costs and assist with productive youth
development; and
WHEREAS, Youth courts have been shown to be a cost-efficient
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and successful diversionary program in Pennsylvania and
elsewhere for decades; and
WHEREAS, Youth courts are student-operated disciplinary
systems that use positive peer pressure to correct disruptive
behavior; and
WHEREAS, Trained youths use positive peer pressure to hold
offenders accountable and repair harm; and
WHEREAS, Youth courts can be structured within a school-based
or juvenile justice-based system; and
WHEREAS, Youth courts keep at-risk youths in school, where
the youths continue their education and are less likely to enter
the formal juvenile or criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, Youth court programs include public speaking,
creative problem solving and literacy and promote the
citizenship and socialization of youth court respondents and
peer volunteers; and
WHEREAS, Youth courts attract new resources, including
lawyers and volunteers, from higher education and faith-based
institutions; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 1,200 youth courts in the United
States, but fewer than 10 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have
youth courts; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's increased deployment and utilization
of youth courts and the creation of more youth courts could
result in greatly reduced corrections costs and school
disciplinary costs as in other states; and
WHEREAS, The Senate recognizes the value of youth courts as a
positive reformative juvenile justice tool; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government
Commission to establish an advisory committee of 21 members
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consisting of public education officials, the legal community,
the law enforcement community and experts on the issue of youth
courts and juvenile justice; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the membership of the committees be balanced
so that it encompasses a wide range of backgrounds and
viewpoints; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee contain the following
individuals:
(1) the Secretary of Education or his designee;
(2) a superintendent of a school district or the
superintendent's designee;
(3) a principal of a public high school or the
principal's designee;
(4) a principal of a public middle school or the
principal's designee;
(5) a judge or former judge in the juvenile justice
system;
(6) a public defender;
(7) a district attorney;
(8) a representative from the law enforcement community;
(9) a public high school teacher who has operated a
youth court;
(10) a public middle school teacher who has operated a
youth court;
(11) a representative from a Pennsylvania law school;
(12) two members who are former youth court student
participants;
(13) the executive director of the Juvenile Court Judges
Commission or his designee;
(14) a representative of the Pennsylvania Commission on
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Crime and Delinquency; and
(15) six members of the public who are experts on the
issue of youth courts or juvenile justice or who are involved
in any other profession relevant to the issue of youth
courts;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, working
with the advisory committee, conduct a thorough and
comprehensive analysis of youth courts in the State education
and juvenile justice systems, the issues set forth in this
resolution and other related issues as determined reasonable and
necessary by the commission; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, working
with the advisory committee, review the following to identify
the best youth court practices, identify cost savings and
benefits from establishing youth courts in the education and
juvenile justice systems and to develop recommendations best
suited for schools and the juvenile justice system:
(1) youth court policies currently in place at schools
in this Commonwealth;
(2) youth court proposals and policies of other states;
and
(3) other resources on the issue of youth courts;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the final report include recommendations to
implement necessary changes in State statutes, practices,
policies and procedures relating to youth courts, including
measures to increase availability of youth courts, and to
develop awareness, education and other strategies to address
issues relating to youth restorative justice programs; and be it
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further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
to the Senate its findings and recommendations no later than 18
months from the adoption of this resolution.
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