Violence Prevention
Youth Court Gives Juvenile Offenders a Chance To Break the Cycle of Violence
 he innovative teen court and early intervention model at Donald P. McCullum Youth Court (MYC) in Oakland has diverted more than 3,000 first-time youth offenders away from violence and crime and on the path to becoming positive, self-sufficient contributors to their communities.
In September 2004, MYC received a three-year $150,000 grant from TCWF to continue providing group sessions and anger management classes and to sustain alternative sentencing for first-time juvenile offenders as a violence prevention strategy.
 Youth offenders come to MYC upon referral by local law enforcement and, to begin the program, must admit responsibility for the charges filed against them, which range from weapons possession and petty theft to assault and battery. Twice a month, a volunteer judge, who is typically a member of the local legal community, presides over proceedings at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland, where juveniles are tried by volunteer youth attorneys and sentenced by a jury of their peers.
All sentences include at least two terms on MYC jury duty and a six-week, gender-specific workshop series, where youth discuss their issues in a constructive and supportive setting. Approximately half of all sentenced youth are also assigned to anger management workshops, which provide a platform for exploring the sources of their aggression and to identify and learn about personal triggers and alternatives to violent behavior. Further counseling on an individualized basis is encouraged and available.
“TCWF’s core support funding has enabled MYC to expand the nature of services for youth offenders and integrate elements of anger and conflict management into all the particular services offered – precisely to ensure that every youth who completes MYC engages in some personal work on anger and conflict management,” said Rachel Sing, Ed.D., executive director of MYC.
For example, MYC revised the verdict form used by juries to make the anger management class mandatory for any youth sentenced for an offense that involves verbal or physical aggression.
This model and philosophy of early intervention, as a viable alternative to incarceration, has paid dividends for the youth in the program, their families and their communities. MYC’s records show that the chance of recidivism is a low 15 percent, compared with the California Youth Authority repeat offense rate of 90 percent.
“Weaving a strong relationship with law enforcement agencies and the legal community into its cost-effective, life-changing, peer-focused approach, has been a successful model for MYC in helping to reduce the cycle of violence and crime in Alameda County,” said TCWF Program Director Nicole J. Jones.
Steven Reece, a past juvenile offender arrested for weapons possession, is one such youth who has stayed out of trouble. Now 18, he works for MYC as an intern and mentors middle-school-aged youth.
“I check on their progress, keep them involved, and basically be their big brother,” said Reece. “I tell them it’s better to take two minutes than 20 years to think things through.”
For more information, please visit www.youthcourt.org.
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