COLORADO SPRINGS — For the past 30 years, the Teen Court Program run by the nonprofit Forge Evolution has given low-level juvenile offenders another chance to get back on the right path.
A group of teen volunteers work together as a panel to hand out sentences to juveniles ages 10 to 19 who commit a misdemeanor crime, like shoplifting, using drugs or alcohol, sexting, or assault. A judge can refer a juvenile to the program if charges are filed, but the majority of teens are sent to the program by a school resource officer.
Teen volunteers work in panels of three to determine sentences after talking through the offense with the juvenile and their parent. The sentencing options can include community service, life skills classes, or substance abuse programs. Sarah Benavides, a Teen Court volunteer and senior at Pine Creek High School, said she believes the teen panel adds a helpful perspective by being able to relate to the juvenile sitting across the table.
"We kind of have a sense of what they're going through more than some of the adults do," said Benavides. "They're really relieved that coming out of it, that it's not a jail sentence or it's not this huge thing that's going to stay on their record forever. They're, I think, really appreciative that they're given classes and resources to kind of move on from whatever offense they committed."
Teen Court panels happen almost every Tuesday night at the Colorado Springs Municipal Court building. An adult volunteer is in the room during the process to help with sentencing guidelines and to escort the teen and parent to and from the second-floor courtroom. Julie Grunwell has served as a Teen Court adult volunteer for four years and said the process is all about honesty and accountability.
"They fess up, they own up to it, they take accountability for what they did. Honesty is appreciated, candor is appreciated, bravery is appreciated," said Grunwell. "I think we're all just about a sliver away from making a bad decision that would change the trajectory or course of our lives. This particular organization gives kids a second chance early on to fix that trajectory and make the right decisions."
Barbara Furr-Brodock, the Resource Development Director for Forge Evolution, said 10,000 kids have gone through Teen Court since 1994 with a recidivism rate of around 7%. She said the program saved El Paso County $64 million last year by diverting kids out of the court system and saving its resources.
"The judicial system, you know, really believes in what we're doing, and that's why they send kids our way," said Furr-Brodock. "When you're young, you make unfortunate choices and to be able to rectify that without having that on your record means a lot."
She said from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, 60% of Teen Court participants came from low-income households. Out of the 503 participants during that time, nearly 40% were referred for a violent offense, 28% for possession of drugs or alcohol, 22% for shoplifting or theft, 5% for sexting, and 5% for property or other crimes. The majority of offenders in the program were ages 13 to 15.
Officer Bill Walsh, has worked with Teen Court for 15 years as a Colorado Springs Police School Resource Officer at Cheyenne Mountain High School. He said he considers the program a resounding success because of the restorative programs offered to kids.
"I think the recidivism rate has been really successful in showing that if we can get kids into those programs before they make larger mistakes, that most of the time, they can avoid those larger mistakes and not have to come back into that system," said Officer Walsh. "It doesn't make their one issue, their one event, a lifelong impact."
The Teen Court Program runs on donations, grants, and volunteers. If you would like to volunteer for the program you can click here.
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