Students will train and supervise local middle school students who conduct peer-run hearings, and participate as mentors to students. Youth Court is an alternative discipline program designed to challenge the school-to-prison pipeline, a national trend whereby children are pushed out of school and into the juvenile justice system. Youth court helps students avoid detrimental punishments of suspensions, expulsions, and criminal citations by agreeing to complete appropriate consequences suggested by their peers and tailored to particular offenses. Law students will teach middle school students to advocate for their peer, choose appropriate consequences tailored to particular behaviors, and promote student citizenship in the school community.
Organization
Texas Law Pro Bono Program Educational Equity Project
The Texas Law Youth Court is a law student organization at The University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. Law student officers and volunteers run a Youth Court program in a local middle school. The program is supervised by a School-to-Prison Pipeline attorney fellow and the Texas Law Director of Pro Bono Programs, with support from the William Wayne Justice Center.
Project Details
- Project Start Date
- September 2014
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 1 hour per week through November 20, 2014
- Training
- A two-hour training will be held Wednesday, September 10, 5pm-7pm in TNH 2.123. Make-up trainings will be held by appointment.
- Skills used
- Client communication and problem-solving; mediation; restorative justice practices
- Project location
- Webb Middle School, 601 St. John’s Avenue, Austin, TX 78752
- Address
- 727 E. Dean Keeton Street, Austin, TX 78705
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 30
- Class year preference
- 1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Experience working with kids a plus but not required
- To Apply
- Submit email stating interest to utlawyouthcourt@gmail.com