Last night, Crowder Stewart LLP sponsored dinner for the March 2018 session of Columbia County Teen Court, a joint venture between Columbia County Community Connections, Columbia County Juvenile Court, Harlem Department of Public Safety, Columbia County Board of Education, Grovetown Department of Public Safety, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Department. Troy Clark, a partner in the firm, and his wife, Nicole, attended the session to assist the teen participants.
Teen Court engages the community in partnership with the juvenile justice system to respond to minor crimes by mobilizing youth and community members to take an active role in addressing the problem. Teen Court offers first-time offenders between the ages of 12 and 17 an opportunity to be questioned, defended, and sentenced by their peers. Evidence indicates that not only do young people stay out of trouble following their Teen Court appearance, but the program also saves thousands of dollars in community expenses and allows the juvenile court system to concentrate more time and energy on critical juvenile offenders.
If you would like to help with Columbia County Teen Court, please contact them through their website.