Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jan 2007
Source: Mississippi Press, The (MS)
Copyright: 2007 Mississippi Press
Contact:  http://www.gulflive.com/mississippipress/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2254
Author: Natalie Chambers
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

TEENS TO PROSECUTE, DEFEND AND JUDGE IN YOUTH DRUG  COURT

Pascagoula - Young offenders will be be prosecuted,  defended and
judged by their peers in a new drug court  in Jackson County.

Jim Yancey, executive director of the Jackson County  Community
Coalition, said the project had been on the  drawing board three years.

A recent $37,366 grant from the Mississippi Department  of Public
Safety's Office of Justice Program will allow  the project to become
reality.

The Jackson County Youth Court is a program partner.

"What happens is the judge oversees the process . The  kids will have
their cases heard by the judge and other  teens," said Yancey.

Young non-offenders and offenders alike will be trained  by attorneys
to fill the roles of lawyers, prosecutors,  defenders and judges on
actual cases.

The peers may recommend incarceration or community  service in cases
where convictions for drug or alcohol  usage are handed down.

"The kids will have their cases heard by the judge and  other teens.
What we have found is this is done in a  number of places in the
country and we find teenagers  tend to be tougher on their peers,"
said Yancey.

The program is expected to kick off in February.

"By early spring, we hope to have teenagers trained so  they can
participate in drug court. The youth court  judge will oversee the
process," he said.

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors approved the  project
Tuesday.

County administrator Alan Sudduth said the project will  be on youth
court property that the county owns but the  program will not cost the
county anything.

The program is an excellent venue for students  interested in careers
in law, said Yancey.

Project director is Kim Styron.

"This is a pilot program. If it works, we hope to  institute it in
other counties," said Yancey.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina 80 percent of youths in  Jackson County did
not use drugs, he said.

Post Katrina, that data changed. The storm's residual  affects has
affected youths as it has adults.

Yancey said youths who've lost a home, do not have a  good, positive
relationship with an adult or parents,  or are not doing well in
school, are facing risk  factors.

He said it does not mean they will drink, but those  circumstances
increase the risks.

Positive influences are considered protective factors.

"The more protective factors as teens increases their  chances of
making into adult life more successfully,"  said Yancey.

Contrary to popular belief, alcohol addiction does not  begin in adult
life, Yancey explained.

"Most adults did not become alcoholics overnight. They  started as
teenagers. Most people don't realize that.  The habit started as a
teen and became a coping skill  as an adult," said Yancey.

"If you are 15 years old and you start drinking at 15,  there is a 40
percent chance you will become an  alcoholic. If you can get teenagers
to not use drugs by  the time they reach 18, the odds of them ever
becoming  addicted to any kind of drugs goes down," he said.
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