Council on Public Legal Education to Conduct Youth Court Conference
Seattle, Washington, May 23, 2001 — The Council on Public Legal Education (CPLE) will conduct a Youth Court Conference on Saturday, June 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Seattle University School of Law. Approximately 100 teachers, lawyers, judges, community activists, and students will meet to discuss youth court models and the resources required to launch successful youth court programs. Facilitators include Washington Supreme Court Justice Faith Ireland, state Court of Appeals Judge Marlin Appelwick and Snohomish County Court Clerk Pam Daniels. Members of the media are welcome to attend this event, but it is closed to the general public. For more information, contact Margaret Fisher at 206-329-2690.
Other conference sponsors include the Washington State Bar Association, Washington Judges Foundation, the Family and Juvenile Law Committee of the Superior Court Judges' Association, the Public Trust and Confidence Committee of the Board for Judicial Administration, Seattle University School of Law, the Family Policy Council, the Greater Pierce County Community Network, and the Office of the Administrator for the Courts.
Youth court (also known as teen court) is a program in which youth are sentenced by their peers. Typically, youth courts serve as diversion programs for first-time, misdemeanor, nonviolent offenders 12-18 years old. In most programs, youth are required to plead guilty or agree not to contest the charges against them. Participation in the program is voluntary, and parental consent is required. Youth courts offer communities an early intervention process based on the theory of "restorative justice" that can hold juvenile offenders accountable, educate youth about the legal system, help them build communication skills, and engage them in their communities. There are currently 10 youth courts in Washington, and the CPLE plans to launch 10 additional youth court programs by the end of 2002. The National Youth Court Center serves as a central point of contact for beginning programs and provides guidance to existing programs.
Created in 2000, the Council on Public Legal Education is currently housed at the Washington State Bar Association. Its 30-plus members include lawyers, judge, educators, elected officials, journalists and community representatives. The Council's mission is to ensure that the people of Washington have the knowledge they need to participate effectively in the justice system and government. The Council is pursuing this mission by creating, coordinating, and encouraging many kinds of legal education programs ranging from a media resource guide to teacher training workshops to a comprehensive law-related Web site for the general public.
The Washington State Bar Association is a private, nonprofit organization authorized by the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's 26,500 lawyers. The WSBA both regulates lawyers under the authority of the Court and serves its members as a professional association — all without public funding. As a regulatory agency, it administers the bar exam, provides record-keeping and licensing functions, and administers the lawyer discipline program. As a professional association, the WSBA provides continuing legal education for attorneys, in addition to numerous other educational and member service activities.
