Youth Court

Mission
Empowering students to repair harm and successfully return to their school community.

Vision
Our vision is for every student to reach their full potential.

The San Bernardino Restorative Youth Court (SBRYC) is a restorative approach to address harm caused by student misconduct.

Its primary aim is to hold a student (known as the respondent) accountable for their actions within a positive social network of support. The heart and soul of SBRYC is students helping students through restorative practices to foster positive youth identity and a sense of community.

Our judge volunteers are District staff members, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Private Attorneys, and Law Enforcement officials.

The Process:

The court is facilitated by an adult judge and driven by student jurors, clerks, and bailiffs. The jurors, under the direction of the judge, question the respondent about their actions. The questions are restorative in nature and designed to show the respondents the impact of their wrongdoing. From the answers, the jury deliberates and develops a disposition plan to help the respondent be accountable for their actions, make amends and reintegrate into their school communities. The respondent meets with a Youth Court official to review the disposition/rehabilitation plan.

The respondent is closely monitored by a Hearing Panel Case Manager. The Case Manager meets with them at their school site and at Positive Youth Development to monitor school re-integration and ensure the plan of rehabilitation is successfully complete.

Youth Court provides a variety of opportunities to all student participants. It gives them an opportunity to build empathy, community, leadership skills, while providing learning opportunities.

Our students are volunteers from our 6-12th grade population and previous respondents.

The San Bernardino Restorative Youth Court:

• Provides an alternative to traditional assertive discipline

• Builds on a student's strengths

• Increases student competency, empathy and connectivity

• Provides students an opportunity for community service, leadership and career development

• Creates an awareness  for students of the impact their actions have on others in their school and community

• Utilizes district and community resources to build student capacity rather than punishment

• Positive peer pressure is leveraged to increase the respondent's awareness of the impact their actions have had on the school and community.

For more information about Youth Courts in California, visit: www.calyouthcourts.com