Senate Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2589 Teen Courts
Requester:	Russell Landry		Organization:		Florida Association of Teen Courts
Project Title:	Teen Courts		Date Submitted:		01/31/2000 10:59:29 PM
District Member:	Ronald Silver		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Florida Association of Teen Courts through DJJ		Contact:		Russell Landry
	2737 Centerview Drive		Contact Phone:		(850) 488-4265
	Tallahassee 32399-3100
Project Description:
Teen Court is a crime prevention program where ten volunteers learn that crime destroys dreams. It's an option for first-time juvenile offenders where, through a non-judicial proceeding, witholding adjudication of guilt is provided if the defendent successfully completes the program. Sentencing hearings are conducted by trained teen attorneys, baliffs & jurors. Sentences included may include essays, apology letters, mandatory school attendance/weekly school reports, random uninalysis, curfew, counseling, and restorative justice programs. Mandatory sentecing includes between 8 & 150 hours of community service and between 1 & 6 nights of jury duty for misdemeanor offenses; and 35 to 100 hours of community service and 4 -10 jury duties for felony offenses.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Teen courts will be shut down without funding. It helps to reduce crime by re-establishing teen's values of citizenship and lawful behavior, and reduces court costs.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
1. Reduce prosecuting attorney's offices caseloads by 10,000 -- 2. provide crime prevention programs for 7,000 volunteer teens -- 3. maintain an average of 12% recidivism rate for teens who participate
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:	1997-2000		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 referral rates
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						No