Order in the Teen Court – Sheriff’s Office relaunches juvenile courtroom program

Teen Court is back in session.

Gadsden County Sheriff’s office recently relaunched the juvenile diversion program, coordinated by Investigator Tiffany Parsons-Buckhalt.

Court hearings for two minors were held at the Guy A. Race Annex in the felony courtroom on Tuesday November 25, with Sheriff Morris Young serving as the presiding judge.

That evening two minors faced a jury of their peers to determine their punishment for minor crimes they were charged with committing.

“None of you are bad kids,” Sheriff Young said to the two defendants. “You just made some bad decisions.”

Young also engaged with the defendants while they were on the stand as the jury was out deliberating, by offering them words of advice and encouragement.

The Teen Court program is based on the philosophy that youthful offenders are less likely to re-offend when punishment is decided by a jury of their peers.

Juvenile offenders who have little, or no prior criminal history may have their cases tried by local high school students in an actual courtroom.

The only charges that qualify are misdemeanors and minor (third-degree) felonies.

Parsons-Buckhalt said the cases are sent directly to her from law enforcement officers, so it never reaches the state attorney’s desk if the defendant successfully completes the program.

This allows the teens to bypass the traditional juvenile court process and eliminates or minimizes a damaging criminal record.

Offenders must admit guilt, be accountable for their actions and agree to complete the sentence handed down to them.

Sheriff Young said adjudication is withheld for offenders in Teen Court, which means the defendants are not formally convicted of a criminal offense.

Local teens who aren’t offenders can also participate in the program to earn volunteer hours for their participation which count as service work required for scholarships such as Florida’s Bright Future Scholarship Program.

Each of the volunteers took an oath of confidentiality, affirming they will not divulge any information or names that may be revealed during Teen Court.

Parsons-Buckhalt said she’s on the campuses of county schools everyday, checking in on all the participants, making sure they are behaving accordingly.

She warned that if any volunteers share confidential information revealed in Teen Court, they will be removed from the program.

She also said offenders in the diversion program can also be kicked out of the program for getting in trouble in school.

Buckhalt-Parson said she can usually predict what teens will successfully complete the diversion program.

She told both teens she is confident they will complete it and said that’s why they were allowed the option.

One teen was sentenced to three nights on Teen Court jury duty and 15 hours of community service after admitting to stealing his grandmother’s car and driving it to Leon County.

The other teen was sentenced to three nights of Teen Court jury duty and 48 hours of community service after admitting to battering her mother and sibling.

Both teens were ordered to write a letter of apology to their victims.

Buckhalt-Parsons gave the juvenile defendants copies of a sample apology letter and advised she would review theirs to determine if they are suitable.

All Teen Court offenders must complete the terms of their sentence within 90 days.

Assistant State Attorney McLane Edwards, a Quincy native, also attended teen court that night.

Soon, he will serve as judge and train volunteers to act as attorneys in teen court trials.

The court session ended with a pizza party for the volunteers.

Erin Hill - erin@gadsdencountytimes.com

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Order in the Teen Court – Sheriff’s Office relaunches juvenile courtroom program

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