Teen court is a general term describing courts that involve young people in the sentencing of their peers, whether in a school, juvenile justice, or a community setting. These courts usually have young people serving as jurors and may also have them fulfilling the roles of prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, judge, bailiff, or other officers of the court. In most teen courts, young offenders are referred for sentencing, not for a decision of guilt or innocence. Young offenders voluntarily choose teen court, with parental approval, as an alternative to the criminal justice system or a disciplinary office. Most teen courts are based in the juvenile justice system or in a community setting.
Many teen courts accept only first-time offenders who have committed relatively minor offenses.
Table 1 identifies the offenses most commonly accepted by teen courts.