Youth Court gets boost from local grant funds

WASILLA — Mat-Su Youth Court is getting a financial boost from local organizations.

Wasilla City Council has approved three grants for the Mat-Su Youth Court (MSYC). The grants are provided by Bishop’s Attic II, the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education Committee and the Mat-Su Borough School District. The three organizations have granted a total of $10,830 for the program. Bishop’s Attic II awarded $3,000, the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education Committee $2,000 and Mat-Su Borough School District $5,830.

“I just want to say thank you to all the people in the Valley,” Wasilla Mayor Dianne M. Keller said of the support for the youth court. “We very much appreciate the impact they’re having on these programs.”

Mat-Su Youth Court was created in 1996 and falls under the supervision of the Wasilla Police Department, the city reports. Overall, the program handles misdemeanor cases involving first-time juvenile offenders. Many of the cases the court deals with include offenses like shoplifting.

In 2007, 154 cases were handled by MSYC, the city reports. Of those, 121 were completed in 2007. The success of the program is exemplified by percentage of defendants who have completed the program and have not ended up back in court. In 2007, 94 percent of defendants did not re-offend after going through the program.

“This is pretty phenomenal,” said Sarah Welton, president of the Mat-Su Borough School District Board of Education. “It does show the program works and that the intervention is appropriate.”

Welton said the program provides numerous benefits. As a former instructor of anti-shoplifting classes, she knows how important such programs can be.

Overall, Welton said local youth can benefit from both sides of the youth court system. Those choosing to be involved by serving as teen attorneys, clerks and judges learn valuable skills and values. They also accumulate community service hours. Many colleges require prospective students have a history of community service.

Welton said youth that go through the system as defendants also benefit.

“These young people are learning about the legal system, but they also learn about ways to amend what they have done,” she said.

Although some youths think the punishments meted out in youth court, usually in the form of community service and essays, are severe, Welton said they often come out of the program realizing the usefulness of their newfound knowledge.

“I would think that commercial establishments in our community gain from this program because the students involved learn appropriate community behavior,” she said.

For more information about Mat-Su Youth Court call 352-5445.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.