Teen Court Club

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

Guadalupe Teen Court Club members are teen volunteers who are trained to serve in the roles of peer jurors, lawyers, bailiffs, clerks, and judges in adjudicating cases of juveniles who have committed an offense eligible for diversion. To date, Guadalupe Teen Court has adjudicated twenty-seven cases through the restorative justice model. Teen Court members assign constructive consequences designed to help youths make better choices in the future. While performing these tasks, teen volunteers learn about the law, improve their leadership skills, and have the opportunity to network with professionals. The Guadalupe Teen Court Club is a three-way partnership between the Guadalupe Branch Library, part of the Maricopa County Library District; Guadalupe Municipal Court with the Town of Guadalupe; and the Maricopa County Juvenile Court. The main goals for Guadalupe Teen Court Club is to empower youth in the community to help change negative and delinquent behavior in their peers, to foster civic engagement and to model the value of education. Guadalupe Teen Court Club is the only Teen Court in the entire state of Arizona that is held in a library setting with a Judge as their leader.