Marinette County Youth in Governance Programs

• Teens in the Healthy Youth Coalition outnumber the adults about two to one with nearly 40 teens serving as co-officers, on committees, doing a multiple number of community services and the Drama Troupe. Teens are the driving force and the adults the advisors.
• The Teen Court has completed four years and has now had l14 cases. 26 teens serve as panelists (judge and jury), spokesperson, advocate and scribe (recorder) with (Wally) Hitt (Marinette County 4-H Youth Development Agent) and two volunteers as advisors. Because being a panelist has been such a positive experience, this year we started having some offenders do part of their community service sanction as a panelist.
• A 2007 survey of offenders completing Teen Court indicates that giving learning sanctions, not punishment, to correct behavior/helping not to re-offend, helping them bond to their community, change attitudes and realize consequences for poor choices. Families often indicate that they are stronger after Teen Court, due to better working together. The most effective change is changing self, with participants indicating that Teen Court has helped them feel that they matter. A majority found community service was meaningful,making them feel part of the community. Some continued beyond the required hours. All respondents found the experience helpful.
• Marinette County Impact Report (1 pg, 67.0 kb)

For more information: Marinette County UW-Extension Youth Development