 |
|
|
|
|
Salt lake Peer Court offers an alternative approach to juvenile justice in which youth referred for minor offenses are sentenced by a jury of their peers. Peer Court employs a restorative justice-based approach that applies the skills and abilities of Salt Lake City high school students to provide positive peer influence, hold youth accountable for their actions, and strengthen their ties to school and community. As a prevention program, Peer Court deals with early and persistent antisocial behavior of youth who might not other wise be held accountable for their actions.
Salt Lake Peer Court is a program of the Utah Law-Related Education Project (LRE), was adopted by the Utah State Board of Education in 1977. Since that time, the Project has served all of Utah's 40 school districts in grades K-12. The project has expanded each year of its history, and in 1989, the Project moved to its present location in the Utah State Bar Law and Justice Center.
Law-related education programs and curriculum are designed to give young people and understanding and appreciation of the law and the legal system. The programs employ legal processes and principles to help young people find practical solutions to everyday problems. Students who participate in Law-Related education programs are active, hands-on participants.
The Salt Lake Peer Court is a community based program that operates under the non-profit status of the LRE project. It was founded in 1993 by a Capitol Hill Neighborhood Council committee in conjunction with West High School, the Mayor's Office, and the Salt Lake Police Department. The program was nurtured and inspired by Pam Richardson Card. Currently the program is headed by Kathleen Zeitlen who continues the programs rich, inspired tradition. In 1996, the program expanded city wide with the aid of a grant from the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. Funding for our program has generously been proved by the following:
Aside from these contributors we also are pleased to thank the following for their gracious and continued support: