Youth Connection: Bellevue Youth Court - Justice is Served

By Crystal Liu

Bellevue Youth Court (BYC) is a program in which youth who break minor laws are sentenced by their peers. On March 19, Bellevue Youth Court volunteers attended the Youth Court Start-Up Conference at Seattle University along with members of other youth courts, including: Clallam County Youth Court, Cheney Youth Court, Sky Valley Youth Court, Thurston County Youth Court, and Whitcom County Student Court.

Rick Peters of Thurston County Youth Court, who had previously conducted a BYC training session explaining the roles of the prosecution and defense advocates, presented the introductions. As most of the attending BYC volunteers had only experienced the procedures of BYC, learning about the other youth courts’ practices was enlightening and at times surprising. For example, while BYC, classified as part of the King County Court system, is a diversion court that mainly deals in the jurisdiction of misdemeanors and second offenders, the Thurston County Youth Court is a truancy court.

While the main purpose of the event was to interact with members of other court systems, it was highlighted by Jeff Blunk and Storie Gallego’s Target presentation on shoplifting. Other presentations that day involved fellow BYC advisor and King County Superior Court Judge, Carol Schapira and BYC volunteer, Betsy Wade as well as a mock hearing from Clallam County.

Bellevue Youth Court was also honored in April this year as the Washington Recreation & Parks Association’s “2011 Spotlight Program of the Year”!

For more information about Bellevue Youth Court program, contact: Helena Stephens at hstephens@bellevuewa.gov  or 425-452-2834.

-- Crystal Liu writes for Youth Connection, a publication of Youth Link.