The Knox County Teen Court will be holding a celebratory reception at the American Legion on October 3rd in honor of their 20 year anniversary. The Knox County Teen Court was the first to be implemented in Illinois, with roughly 320 around the state today.
Teen Court Board Member Robby Dunn tells Galesburg Live that the process allows first offending teens a chance to appear before a court of their peers, rather than juvenile court.
“Instead of first time offenders that make a bad choice, a misdemeanor offense, instead of cycling them through a over-crowded juvenile justice system, they have the option to be referred to a court of their peers,” says Dunn. “So, they plead guilty, and then a teen jury, teen attorneys argue their case and decide what sort of sentence they would have. The premise isn’t just punitive, it’s not just punishment, but certainly there are things they need to do, but it’s restorative justice.”
Most of the sentences include serving on the Teen Court Board, participating in community service, and issuing apologies to either parents or victims of the misdemeanor.
The reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. and community members can attend to help celebrate the anniversary and learn about the program.
