"From what I’ve seen, it’s really effective for youth to be able to understand what other youth are going through — and they really do have a personal understanding that adults may not be able to," Laura Cohen, a law professor who helps facilitate the teen court at Southwestern Law School, told ATTN:. "It’s a model that works."

Michael Rubin, a former attorney who supervises the teen court at Fairfax High School, agreed that the model has been "extremely successful," noting that the juvenile court system "is a huge behemoth" but one "that has its own positive aspects." 

There are a number of big differences between the systems. In teen court, the minor forgoes certain rights, such as privacy — they're right there making their case before a group of high school students — and the right to a professional legal defense. But the prospect of an expunged record and a more reasonable sentence has lured many into taking advantage of the opportunity.

To read more of Kyle Jaeger's article, please click here.