Press release:
Genesee County is in the developmental stages of a Youth Court to serve youth in the county. Youth Court is the process of being judged by your peers for minor offenses.
Genesee will have a dispositional court with a panel of judges. Youth will serve in all roles – judge, prosecutor, defense, bailiff and court clerk. Referrals will come to the court from law enforcement and schools. The sentencing is individualized to the respondent and the behavior that brought them to court and based on of restorative justice.
The Genesee County Youth Bureau is currently seeking youth to sit on the court in the positions mentioned above. Interested youth, entering grades eight through 11 in Genesee County may apply.
Selected youth must complete 20 hours of training, which will be held in two-hour segments over a 10-week period. Training will begin in October, and the court is expected to begin hearing cases in January.
An application can be downloaded from the Genesee County website www.co.genesee.ny.us, where you will find a link on the Youth Bureau page. If you would like further information or to have an application mailed to you, please contact the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960. Applications will be accepted on or before Sept. 28.
