H-4366.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2858

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Costa, Sheahan, Dickerson, Cody, Morris, Dellwo, Hatfield and Conway

Read first time 01/23/96.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Creating a "teen court" program.

     AN ACT Relating to juveniles; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The office of the administrator for the courts shall implement a grant program to fund "teen court" programs for juveniles who commit offenses, infractions, or are truants.  Teen court programs that may be funded through this grant program are limited to those that:

     (1) Are developed using the guidelines for creating and operating teen court programs of the american probation and parole association teen courts project, which is supported by a grant awarded by the national highway traffic safety administration in the department of transportation;

     (2) Target first-time nonviolent property offenders or nonviolent property offenders with limited criminal history, or juveniles who violate compulsory education or traffic laws;

     (3) Target offenders age eight through seventeen; and

     (4) Emphasize the following principles:

     (a) Youth must be held accountable for their problem behavior;

     (b) Youth must be educated about the impact their actions have on themselves and others including their victims, families, and their community;

     (c) Youth must develop skills to resolve problems with their peers more effectively; and

     (d) Youth should be provided a meaningful forum to practice and enhance newly developed skills.

     Applicants may include diversion units, law enforcement entities, juvenile courts, juvenile probation departments, private nonprofit organizations, and schools.  At a minimum grant applications must include a description of the program, the age and criminal history of the target population, what organizations will be involved in developing and operating the teen court, and an evaluation methodology.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1996, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

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