School Resource Officers, School Administrators, Community Police, Detectives, Magistrates, Juvenile Court Intake, and Assistant District Attorneys may refer cases to Teen Court.
What are the Guidelines?
All school policies are in full effect. Teen Court should be considered an alternative to traditional criminal proceedings. Also, this is not a school based teen court program that hears class skipping, etc.
All possible Teen Court cases should be judged on their individual merits. Some students are appropriate for Teen Court when others charged with the same offense are not.
The youth must admit responsibility/guilt.
The youth and parent/guardian should be willing to go through Teen Court and complete the ordered sanctions.
The offense must be a misdemeanor.
The youth must be in middle or high school.
The youth must be actively enrolled in school.
This will be most youths first offense. Those with prior offenses are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Youths who are successful generally have something positive going for them. i.e. You like them and want to give them a second chance, the parents are very involved, they are an excellent student and/or the offense is out of character, etc.
Youths must be mentally able to comprehend and participate with Teen Court.
Drug or alcohol possession charges (no intent to distribute, etc.) are accepted. Please refer to sanction sheet for specific information.
Possession of a weapon on campus IF the weapon is a pocketknife (not defined as a weapon by the General Assembly) can be referred.
How to Refer a Youth?
Once you have determined that a juvenile is eligible for Teen Court, you should:
Contact the youth and his/her guardian. If you are a SRO, you can discuss Teen Court as an option when the parents/guardian is notified of suspension and comes to the school to pick up the child.
Briefly explain what Teen Court is and recommend that the youth complete the Teen Court program. Give the family a Teen Court Brochure.
Help the family complete the referral and read aloud the statements made by both yourself and the family to ensure that they understand what they are signing.
Fax or mail the referral to the Teen Court Coordinator. Please attach the police report/brief summary of the incident. Email: [email protected] Fax: 919-603-0268, Mail: P.O. Box 926 Oxford, NC 27565
If you have any questions, call the coordinator first at 919-603-1350.
If you would like to attend the hearing, please indicate that on the referral form (see bottom of page) or by phone.
You will be notified when a youth you have referred completes his/her sentence and are always welcome to call to find out a particular youth's sentence.
**PLEASE DO NOT TELL THE FAMILY THAT THE YOUTH IS AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM. THE FINAL DECISION IS MADE BY THE COORDINATOR.**