Page 5 - Empowering Teens - Drug Free - 2014

2014
DRUG FREE 5

A court run by teens for teens
– continued

Brandon Miller, a student attorney and peers on trial, and it sometimes affects how
Centennial High School student, said he’s talked they sentence them.

with and seen people who have really changed from “That’s something you won’t ind on
the program.
adult criminal trials,” said Judge LaMar.
“I’ve seen people who have just made a Other than a few differences,
mistake and through the program, they can get back
LaMar said the whole procedure has been
on the right track,” the 15-year-old said. “I’ve also designed very similar to the adult legal
seen people who don’t take this seriously and it system.
RK
really disappoints me when that happens.”
A
Parents and police oficers can also CL
Harvey-Trigoso said most of the time kids M
who are caught (for smoking weed or stealing) testify in peer court. Evidence, such as JI
photographs of grafiti or a letter from a O:
generally feel like they were peer pressured into it.
teacher, can be brought in. Attorneys can OT
H
Bringing the incident in front of a roomful of raise objections, and they practice giving K P
their peers, she said, helps them realize that “no, it opening and closing statements.
O
is not normal to be smoking weed everyday,” and not LO
“It is a very formal process,” said UT
all teens approve of these behaviors.
Harvey-Trigoso.
O
Ramos has even had to interview his own
However, there is also room for
friends on trial. While it may be awkward at irst, he learning.
said it’s given him the chance to have serious Retired Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge,
discussions with them about their future, Student attorneys are allowed to Kristina LaMar, volunteers as judge at the peer court.

conversations he might not normally have outside come up and ask the judge questions or
the classroom.
may be corrected during the proceeding.

“We are not adults,” Ramos said. “They talk Students get to brush up on their
The court also uses donations given to
to adults and think adults don’t really understand public speaking and debate skills, reasoning and Northwest Family Services to support the program.
critical thinking skills. They develop conidence and
them, but hearing it from us, people our age, I think “All that said, it is a very bare bones budget
that’s really effective.”
practice making logical arguments.
and we are constantly look for other ways to support
the program,” Fuller said.
Some of his former defendants have even Ramos said being a student attorney has
come up to him at school to shake his hand and changed the way he sees things. “I stated to realize
(the problems) that are really affecting our
thank him.
Barlow High School students, Riley Fay, 15, community,” he said.
“It’s definitely been a
and Emily Cobb,15, serve as jurors on the court.
game changer for me.”

When deciding a punishment for their peer, The Four Cities
the two pay attention to the reasons teens give for Peer Court recieves
their actions. Sometimes, what they hear is INTERMOUNTAIN
funding from the
heartbreaking.
Gresham Police FORENSIC
They started using substances at 8 or Department,

9-years-old. They have a history of trauma in their Multnomah Bar
life.
Foundation, the LABORATORIES, INC.
Wheeler Foundation,
“It’s hard when they have already been
through a lot,” Cobb said.
and the Spirit Mountain
Community Fund, Private forensic lab serving you since 1987.
Court volunteers take an oath not to disclose according to Rose Fuller,
what happens outside the court.
director for Northwest
Owned & Operated by Dr. Raymond Grimsbo
Fay and Cobb say they often relate to their
Family Services.
previously with the Oregon State Police Crime Laboratory.

• In house testing

• Low cost urine drug testing

(from a single drug to 10 panel drug screen).

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