4 - Embracing talk

Summary

Robert woke to the sound of trucks backing and the loading chute scraping against the tailgate. He jumped out of bed, grabbed his jeans, struggled to put his boots on, buttoned his shirt, and reached for his hat. He and his brother were members of the local youth development group, 4-H (head, heart, hands, and health) Club, and they were to help out at the big rodeo today in Big Valley, the county seat. He had almost overslept because he had been up late last night preparing a new case for his Teen Court appearance.

Robert was the prosecuting attorney this month in Teen Court, and he was determined to get it right. His friend Ralph had been the prosecuting attorney last month. Judge Hammond, the only adult allowed in the room during the trials of youth offenders brought up for misdemeanors, had been so impressed with Ralph that he had given him a summer internship in his law office. Robert, now fourteen, was hoping for the same offer for the coming summer from this month’s judge. In Teen Court, teenagers with misdemeanor offenses were tried by a jury of their peers who went through six months of training with attorneys and a judge. First-time youthful offenders, ages ten to eighteen, came before Teen Court to be tried and to accept the sanctions imposed by the jury. Teens acted as defending attorney, prosecuting attorney, bailiff, and court clerk, as well as jurors. Sanctions included community service, jury duty with Teen Court, and skills training on topics such as mediation, decision-making, anger management, and financial literacy.