Riverside Police Department

How Does Youth Court Work?

Cases dealing with misdemeanor crimes that have been committed within the city limits are referred directly to the Riverside Youth Court from the Riverside Police Department, Riverside County Probation Department and the Riverside Unified and Alvord Unified School Districts. Once a juvenile is referred to youth court, the juvenile and his or her parent will meet with youth court staff to review the program requirements and sign all required paperwork. To be eligible for youth court, the juvenile must first admit guilt and the parent must consent in writing to their child’s participation in the program.

The case is then scheduled for an adult judge trial or a peer jury trial. If the case is tried with the adult judge model a youth defense attorney will represent the juvenile. The prosecutor will also be a youth attorney; adult attorneys are available to mentor the youth attorneys prior to the trial. In this model, each youth attorney makes an opening statement, the juvenile testifies and is cross-examined, both attorneys recommend a disposition, and the jury considers the facts of the case. The jury deliberates until it reaches a consensus in determining a fair disposition for the juvenile respondent. The peer jury model does not use youth attorneys. Instead, the members of the jury are presented with the facts of the case in advance and prepare relevant questions. Each juror may ask questions directly to the juvenile respondent. The deliberation process is the same as it is in the adult judge model.

The primary function of the Riverside Youth Court is to determine a fair and restorative sentence for the juvenile respondent. Dispositions will include mandatory future jury duty, and one or more of the following: community service, letters of apology, essays, educational workshops, counseling, restitution, drug testing, jail tour, curfew restrictions, behavior contract, and other creative dispositions.

When the disposition is completed, the respondent’s case will be closed. No criminal charges will be filed in the traditional juvenile justice system and the juvenile will have no criminal record.

The Riverside Youth Court convenes twice a month.

All youth court volunteers will receive training in the juvenile justice system, the concept of restorative justice, and the deliberation process. Each volunteer will receive 6 hours of community service for attending the training and an additional 3 hours of community service each time he/she participates in a court session.