House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1881 Teen Courts
Requester:	Russell Landry		Organization:		Florida Association of Teen Courts
Project Title:	Teen Courts		Date Submitted:		01/28/2000 11:03:01 AM
District Member:	Marjorie Turnbull		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Individual Teen Courts through DJJ		Contact:		Russell Landry
	2737 Centerview DR		Contact Phone:		(850) 488-4265
	Tallahassee 32399-3100
Project Description:
Teen Court is a crime prevention program where teen volunteers learn that crime destroys dreams. It's an option for first-time juvenile offenders where, through a non-judicial proceeding, withholding adjudication of guilt is provided if the defendant successfully completes the program. A sentencing hearing is conducted by trained teen attorneys, baliffs and jurors - the judge is the only adult in the proceedings. Sentences imposed may include: essays, apology letters, mandatory school attendance/weekly school reports, random urinalysis, curfew, counseling and restorative justice programs and educational programs. Mandatory sentencing includes between 8 and 150 hours of community service and between 1 and 6 nights of jury duty for misdemeanor offenses; and 35 to 100 hours of community service and 4 - 10 jury duties for felony offenses. This is an education process where participants learn about the judicial process and how poor decision making can affect them. Young people learn to respect the judicial system and develop positive citizenship attitudes and skills. It is an efficient, cost effective and "get tough" prevention and diversion alternative.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Teen Courts in the counties of Columbia, Desoto, Duval, Glades, Holmes, Santa Rosa, Okalosa and Walton will be shut down without funding. This funding is necessary to continue their services and for other Teen Courts to provide additional intervention with prevention and treatment programs for at-risk teens. Will save tax dollars by reducing costs of courts and prosecuting attorney's. Helps to reduce crime by re-establishing teens values of citizenship and lawful behavior.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
1. Reduce prosecuting attorney's offices case load of first time offenders by 10,000. 2. Provide crime prevention programs for 7,000 volunteer teens. 3. Maintain an average of 12% recidivism rate for those teens processed through Teen Court.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$1,000,000
Total cost of the project:		$1,000,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
	Cash Amount:	$2,000,000		In-Kind Amount:		$1,500,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						Yes
	Fiscal Year:	1997-1999		Amount:		$1,500,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$1,000,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?					Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	Juvenile crime rates and school discipline referral rates
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						No