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Inspiring a Pass Students from Boyle Heights hold Teen Court hearing at USC Gould, gain firsthand experience By Gilien Silsby
As the 13-year-old defendant sat in the witness box, he quietly answered one question after another. Who are his friends? Why are his grades
low? What kinds of sports does he play? And most importantly — why did he inappropriately interact with a classmate, the act that brought him to court? But the questions weren’t coming from a prosecutor or defense attorney. They were being posed by students from Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights. The students are part of Teen Court, an alternative earlyintervention program that allows eligible juvenile offenders to be questioned, judged and sentenced by a jury of their peers. The Teen Court program was launched at Roosevelt High in 2008, giving hundreds of high school students first-hand experience in criminal justice. Roosevelt High’s final hearing of the year was held in May at USC Gould, where students were treated to a tour of the law school, lunch with law students and use
“The students are so impressive,” says SanudoKretzmann. “They take this seriously and are passionate about being fair and making good suggestions.” Judge Jose I. Sandoval presided over the Teen Court proceeding at USC, as he has for the past decade. He skillfully strikes a balance between making the defendant feel comfortable and exposing students to the courts. “I look forward to Teen Court and believe it not only teaches high school
“ I have an interest in law school and criminal justice. I wanted to
get more experience with what happens in law and how it works. Maybe I’ll go to law school one day.” —Amy Morales, 16, a junior at Roosevelt High School
of the Ackerman Courtroom for the hearing. The USC Gould Latino Law Student Association (LLSA) supports the Teen Court program by helping students understand the justice system and render verdicts. USC Gould student Ariana SanudoKretzmann ’18, the community service chair for LLSA, met with a jury of high school students and aided them in weighing several factors before finding the defendant guilty and providing sentencing recommendations.
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students about the criminal justice system, but gives defendants a second chance,” says Judge Sandoval, who grew up in East Los Angeles. “Being judged by your peers can be quite powerful.” Juvenile defendants don’t attend the Teen Court in their own schools because, as in the court system, they can’t be judged by people they know. During the trial, the judge and the student jury question defendants and ultimately render a verdict and suggest a sentence.
