The Tonawanda Youth Court was established in the City of Tonawanda in 1984 and is under the guidance of Lieutenant David Ray. The court is comprised of Tonawanda students from the 9th to 12th grades. Students advance from bailiffs to judges during their tenure on the Court. Cases are handle on an individual basis as a diversion from Family Court. They handle cases ranging from simple trespass to non-violent felony. There have been approximately 1000 cases handled since the inception of Youth Court. Youth Court is supervised by a steering committee made up of three members from each class. Professional Judges and attorneys from the area are and have been consultants to improve the quality of the Youth Court. This is a cooperative effort between the City and the City of Tonawanda Schools. Mr. Brian Colegrove is the school advisor for the group. Each student receives two credits towards their diploma for graduation. The Tonawanda Youth Court has been a model for other courts throughout the United States, ex. Buffalo, NY; Anchorage, Alaska; Mesilla, New Mexico; Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota.

National Youth Court Center

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