Kaitlin Fritz: Praise for Teen Court option

The Feb. 22 news article “Program aims to keep students out of court” brought to light an issue not only affecting the nation but also our community.

By allowing juvenile, nonviolent misdemeanor offenders the option of Teen Court, medication or alternative routes, students have the chance to make right an action that would otherwise permanently stain their records.

Teenage brains are still growing in school, and emotional reasoning judgment areas of the brain do not reach maturity until people are in their 20s.

By society’s fostering a system that reinforces the rules and teaches responsibility for their actions, students can correct their ways and get the help they need in a proactive manner.

These programs will not only help the student steer away from a path of crime but also aid the community in gathering data such as factors that lead to criminal behavior. As the article states, these restorative justice programs have high success rates, and I hope that this success will continue for the youth in our area.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Kaitlin Fritz: Praise for Teen Court option."