Research Symposium

BIO

Hi, I am Joziah Burnett and I am from Pembroke Pines, Florida. I love meeting new people, going out with friends, and staying active.I have a strong passion for politics and social injustice issues. My career goal is to become a litigation attorney. I am beyond excited to present my research on the impact of teen court of recidivism.

Assessing the Impact of North Carolina Teen court on recidivism

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency is a persistent societal issue and reducing recidivism among youth offenders is essential for breaking a generational cycle of crime. This research builds on findings from a past study, which found that the teen court programs reduce juvenile recidivism by nearly 50% in North Carolina. The current study applies similar methodologies to assess the effectiveness of Teen Court in Florida

Teen court offers an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system, emphasizing restorative justice principles to rehabilitate first-time offenders. This study hypothesizes that Teen court participants in Florida will exhibit lower recidivism compared to those processed through traditional court systems.

Data for this project were gathered from juvenile court records, interviews, and Teen court program records. A comparative analysis was conducted between Teen court Participant and a matched pair of a participant processed through traditional court. Then, statistical methods were applied to assess the likelihood of either group to recidivate.

As stated, results showed that Teen court does in fact reduce teen recidivism. High recidivism rates are not only a strain on public resources but also represent a preventable issue. These findings could provide valuable insights for policymakers. In addition, this research highlights the need for continued investment into alternative sentencing methods that focus on rehabilitation over punishment.

Keywords: Recidivism, Teen Court, Juvenile Justive