Garden City Teen Volunteers for DA's Youth Court

A Garden City teen is getting his feet wet inside the courtroom through an innovative program that enables him to learn about the inner workings of the criminal justice system.

Thomas Schillinger of Garden City is a student volunteer in Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's Youth Court, one of several who take on the roles of prosecutor, defense attorney, bailiff, clerk and even juror during all court hearings. All offenders - referred to as respondents - must answer questions from jurors about what they did and why it was wrong.

The court, which Rices says provides young people who have committed nonviolent crimes the opportunity to "take responsibility for their actions, serve their community and learn character and career-building skills," heard its 300th case this month.

“We must ensure that our young people are afforded the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and fulfill their potential as positive, law-abiding members of society rather than spiral into a permanent presence in the criminal justice system,” Rice said.

“Youth Court and Adolescent Diversion are all about intervention, prevention and education. These programs positively influence kids, provide them with the tools they need to succeed, make our communities safer and help shape the next generation of civic-minded, responsible citizens.”

To be eligible, respondents must be 17 or younger, acknowledge their wrongdoing and take responsibility for their actions. After each hearing, the jury deliberates and using "restorative justice goals" imposes a fair and constructive sanction using restorative justice goals, according to the DA's office. Common sanctions include anything from oral and written apologies, essays, community service, Youth Court jury duty, curfew and mediation.

Rice said respondents are linked to positive social activities that benefit their community and supportive services like drug treatment, counseling and anger management.

Student volunteers receive special training from assistant DAs, learning about the workings of the criminal justice system and the benefits of civic responsibility.

Rice's office is among several counties in New York State selected by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to open an Adolescent Diversion Part (ADP) to address deficiencies in the criminal justice system’s handling of young teenage offenders, according to the DAs office. Offenders, age 16 and 17, are eligible for participation but must first be screened using a "number of factors" to determine his/her risk to reoffend.

That initial assessment, Rice said, determines the course that prosecutors take. Low assessment offenders can see their cases dismissed; medium and high risk offenders will have a treatment plan tailored to their needs.

Rice, an advocate for "innovative and progressive approaches to youth justice," has called on state lawmakers to raise the age at which defendants in nonviolent cases can be prosecuted as adults in criminal court. New York is one of two states that treats 16- and 17-year-old defendants as adults, even for minor, nonviolent offenses, according to the DAs office.

The Hempstead Village Court and the Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University support the program and have housed the youth court since 2011. For more information, click here.