State proposal to establish youth courts inside schools to keep kids out of justice system

HARRISBURG, Pa. — It’s a conversation happening on the state level. How to keep juveniles out of courtrooms in the hope that they won’t end up in adult court.

A group of lawmakers are hoping they’ve found the solution.

“The idea is to disrupt the school to prison pipeline. The set of policies and practices like suspensions, expulsions that emphasize punishment over reform,” said Senator Tim Kearney who represents Delaware & Chester Counties.

Kearney told Channel 11 data from the PA Juvenile Justice Task Force calls for the increase in diversion programs to keep the youth out of juvenile court for low level offences like bullying, truancy and theft.

That’s why he wants to establish a pilot program with grant funding for a “School Based Youth Court” and he has bipartisan interest.

“We want to make it so these young people who’ve made a really bad decision don’t pay for it for the rest of their lives. In Pennsylvania, we often times do that to our young people we punish them at a level that puts something on their record,” said Senator Camera Bartolotta who represents Washington, Greene & Beaver Counties.

The makeup of the court would be students with staff advising. It’s something that Woodland Hills Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna believes could be a problem.

“I can’t imagine a situation where we would use students to evaluate the actions of other students. I can just see a lot of personal dynamics and personalities and former friendships,” Castagna said.

Castagna said it would be difficult for the court to be unbiased and he doesn’t think the school should just bear the responsibility. He’s even in talks with other agencies for a bigger diversion idea.

“I have a meeting next week with Duquesne University who’s looking at a case study to create a countywide youth diversion program to where we can all work together and combine our resources, so the need is there. Juvenile court is inundated and overflowing with cases,” Castagna said.

Kearney said this type of youth court has worked in other states and in schools on the east side of Pennsylvania. The hope is if his bill passes, the state can study the data after five years and see if it would be successful statewide.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group