The Justice Center's work with young people has two principal components:

Youth Court: The Harlem Youth Court handles low-level cases like truancy, shoplifting, and public drinking. Youth Court cases are presided over by a true jury of peers—teenagers from the neighborhood who have been trained to perform the roles of judge, jury and attorneys. In effect, the young people who serve on the Youth Court are articulating—and enforcing—standards of acceptable behavior for their peers. Typical sanctions include community service, anger-management workshops and letters of apology. Eight out of ten complete their sanctions as ordered. The goal is to encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions and to acknowledge how their behavior undermines the local quality of life. Youth Court members and respondents who comply with their sanctions can continue their involvement with the Justice Center through mentoring and paid internships.



New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in Harlem

Juvenile Intervention Court: The Juvenile Intervention Court focuses on young people arrested for non-violent drug and property offenses. Juveniles are mandated to treatment, community service and other sanctions. They must appear regularly before the judge to report on their progress in meeting court mandates. The judge relies on graduated sanctions—such as increased court appearances and curfew checks—to promote accountability. Using a custom software application, the court helps young people monitor their own progress in service plans.