Mediation Center of Eastern Carolina/Teen Court

What is Teen Court? Teen Court is an alternative, restorative system of justice, which offers juveniles who cause harm through minor misdemeanor offenses an opportunity to take responsibility for their offenses through community service and other educational opportunities assigned by a jury of their peers. Volunteers must be in grades 6-12 and enrolled in a District Public, Private, Charter or Homeschool.

What's in it for you? Teen Court offers volunteers the chance to earn community service hours--a lot. Why do you want or even need service hours? Some need them to complete graduation requirements, or even to satisfy the parameters of a club you want to join. Best of all, though, is the fact that any good job prospect you may have or college you wish to attend, highly regards the fact that you spent time giving back to your community. Colleges are especially curious about Teen Court, its purpose, why you volunteered and what you learned in the process.

Youth who volunteer for Teen Court are given an active role in their community, receive education in the functions and operations of the judicial system, and they work together toward the same goal: helping to restore their peers back into their community with hope, and filled with new skills and ways of thinking about things, which can carry them through to their future. Volunteers are trained as attorneys, clerks, bailiffs, and most important: jury members. They are also trained in Restorative Justice Circle processes which, instead of treating "a criminal act as a mere violation of a rule or law, it acknowledges the harm caused to individuals and relationships. The primary focus of restorative justice is to repair the harm caused by a crime while holding the offender accountable for their actions. This accountability involves accepting responsibility and taking measures to make amends for the harm caused." *
*https://ncteencourts.org/restorative-justice/

This event takes place at the O'Marks Building, 233 Middle St., New Bern, NC 28560. We are meeting in the Conference Room directly to the right at the top of the (nonmoving) escalator facing the Middle St. entrance. Parking is free and located in the rear of the building, on Hancock St., after 5:00pm.