Imagine what would happen if you were caught drinking underage. Picture your parents’ reaction when you arrive home accompanied by a cop and a drinking ticket. How would you ever regain their trust and respect? How could you possibly right your wrongs and repay your community?

One simple answer to all of these questions is: Teen Court.

Teen Court represents a way for juveniles who have committed misdemeanor crimes to atone for their mistakes. When submitted to Teen Court through the juvenile court system, the respondent is required to admit guilt of the crime they committed. The convicted youth is then tried by a jury of his or her peers. Through punishments like Teen Court jury duty and community service, the jury hopes to prevent future offenses and turn around the juvenile’s behavior.

“Teen Court is a way for kids who have committed and admitted to a misdemeanor crime to be judged in front of their peers without getting that crime on their record,” said sophomore Emma Strickland, a Teen Court leadership member. “Its goal is to provide the defendant with a constructive sentence to help restore them back to their community.”

One thing that makes Teen Court so unique is that it is both role play and reality. Students meet at the Manteo Administrative building on the second Tuesday of every month to take on the role of jurors and attorneys. Media center coordinator Susan McFarlane acts as First Flight’s Teen Court contact and also serves as the court’s judge. But in the end, the students serving as jurors make the final decision as to what the respondent’s punishment is.

“We listen to the case, then the prosecution and the defendant,” sophomore Malia Garber said. “After we hear all of the evidence and the proposed punishment, we go back into the jurors’ room and decide their punishment for ourselves.”

Teen Court also offers students a social gathering – there’s pizza – but it primarily serves to help the youth better understand and value the law system. Through Teen Court, students can pave the way to a possible future in judicial proceedings.

“I was tried in Teen Court last year and when I finished I realized it’s a great way to see how the real world works in a lawful sense,” junior Nina Perry said. “Now I go whenever I can.”

The Teen Court program strives to not only redirect the lives of those tried, but also to set an example for other teenagers of the community.

“Listening to the court cases and punishments influences me to think twice about the decisions I make, and learn from others’ mistakes,” Garber said.

McFarlane called the program “a good experience and learning process for everyone involved. When students can see the Teen Court process up close, they are more forgiving of themselves and more tolerant of others.”

A report from the National Center for Victims of Crime states that people ages 12 to 24 suffer from crime more than any other age group in the United States. Intervening in teens’ lives early allows youth offenders to make a transition toward a healthier and more productive lifestyle.

Teen Court gives youths a second chance at a successful future. By participating in Teen Court, students have the opportunity to positively impact someone’s life and to impact their own.

“It’s an interesting way to learn about the justice system and give back to the community at the same time,” Strickland said. ”It’s a hands-on process where you feel like you are really making a difference in the community, and that is a rare experience in high school.”

Sophomore Alex Rodman can be reached at rodmanna0704@daretolearn.org.