The Fall River School Committee joined over 1,200 communities nationwide in establishing a Youth Court in April, 2009. The court held two pilot sessions, on June 18th and June 25th and will resume holding session weekly in the fall. The court hears cases involving minor crimes such as fighting, vandalism, theft or smoking that take place at school and are often referred to the court by school resource officers. Those so charge are called "respondents" cannot refute the accusation and must testify on their own behalf. A jury of peers who volunteer hear the cases and determine the appropriate sanction, often involving some form of community service. Respondents are represented by student volunteer case managers who work with the parents and present each case. Judges are drawn from local courts and law enforcement officials including Fall River Police Chief John M. Souza and Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter. New Bedford was the first city in Massachusetts to adopt the program in 2002. Statistics provided by the New Bedford Youth Court indicate that the program there has had a compliance rate above 90 percent, well above that of a traditional juvenile court. Click here for the Herald News article about the Youth Court. For more information, contact Terri Swanson Belliveau at PAACA Youth Services and New Bedford/ Fall River Youth Courts at 508-979-1580. (Center middle and bottom photo, courtesy Terri Swanson Belliveau)
 

(Top row, left) Terri Swanson Belliveau of PAACA, assistant director of the Fall River and New Bedford Youth Court,  directs jurists Nicholas Quigley and Curtis St. Pierre of Durfee High School to the jury room. (Top row, center) Dexley Dorcely of Diman and Haily Cambra of Durfee go over a case while support staff member Ashlee Aguiar posts the cases on the board behind them. (Top row, right) Dexley goes over a case with Nina Sousa, community services director of the Youth Court. (Middle row, left and right) Judge Paul Machado prepares to preside over the June 25th session. (Middle row, center) Fall River Police Chief John M. Souza prepares to preside at the June 18th session. (Bottom row, left) James Rebello, Justin Rodrigues, Khaby Poure, Kevin Nhei, Nicholas Quigley, Josia McKene, Jason Little, Brandon Carrairo, and Alexandra Dorcely wait in the jury room before the cases are heard. (Bottom row, center) The group poses with Chief Souza before the June 18th session. (Bottom row, right) Youth Court support staff member Ashlee Aguiar consults with Katelyn DeAlmeida as she prepares her case.