Working to combat juvenile crime, a new city program holds its second day of peer court today, with area youth volunteers sentencing first-time peer offenders. The program has stimulated less crime and more community service in other cities including Mattoon and Danville.

The program is designed after Mattoon and Danville’s programs and officials have seen lower repeat offense numbers as well as a rise in community service.

“It offers to the juvenile wrongdoer a non-system solution to the problem,” said Brian Bower, city attorney and a coordinator of the program.

Bower said while the goal of the program is for peer court to act as an educational deterrent to continual criminal behavior, it also has side benefits such as students learning how the legal system operates and becoming more responsible citizens.

The court is made up of 10 volunteers who work as a jury, prosecutor and defense attorneys, clerks, bailiffs and a judge. Those eligible for the program are high school students who have committed their first offense and have admitted their guilt.

Most cases are offenses such as criminal damage to property, alcohol related offenses, small shoplifting or battery at a minor level.

“It’s really a civics lesson (for volunteers),” Woods said. “There’s also some humility involved (for the defendant) putting your fate in their (peers’) hands.”

With the help of coordinators Bower, Juvenile Officer Jerry Woods and Circuit Court Judge Mitch Shick, the volunteers conduct a sentencing hearing for the defendant. The jury then determines sentencing for the defendant in which they can choose from fines, letters of apology, essays or community service which all have low and high perimeters capping the sentences.

The goal of the program is to reduce crime among youth, especially against second offenses. In addition, Bower said it gives volunteers a chance to see if they may want to pursue a similar career in the future.

“It gives you a taste of (legal careers),” Woods said.

So far peer court has been a success, having held one trial already. Coordinators say it will likely continue, every third Monday of the month.

“We think this is something that would be a good learning experience and a good second chance,” Woods said. “It’s of serious nature.”

Bower concurred saying, “If it continues as is, it should be a success.”

So far one difference in peer court, Bower said, is the peer jury is more harsh on punishment than a non-peer court trial.

“That’s how serious they take it,” he said. “They did a very good and conscientious job.”