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Consider approving a Project Funding Agreement with Teen Court, subject to Teen Court also approving the agreement, and once the agreement is approved by both parties, allocate to Teen Court an amount up to $45,000.00 from the PROPEL CIP in accordance with the intent of Resolution 23-75, Section C.5 to provide funding for youth programs, as recommended by the Youth and Family Affairs Committee.
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INITIATOR: Councilperson Mary Ann Hankins
STAFF INFORMATION SOURCE: Christine James, Internal Auditor; Joe Don Dunham, Finance Director; Donalynn Blazek-Scherler, City Clerk
BACKGROUND: Teen Court, Inc. was established in 1991 and has a mission to reduce juvenile crime within Comanche County through intervention in the lives of at-risk youth by providing a positive resolution through peer-driven court sentencing and facilitating behavior change through education for misdemeanor and civil offenses. The first five years of the Teen Court program consisted of youth who had committed a misdemeanor offense, admitted their guilt, and chose to have their case heard and sentenced by a jury of their peers as opposed to having formal charges filed against the. At the present time, all first-time offenders who have been arrested for a misdemeanor offense as well as all at-risk youth that have been suspended or are in in-house suspension from school are receiving educational classes targeting their specific offense through Teen Court. Teen Court offers the only peer sentenced program in Comanche County and has also undertaken educational programs to reduce recidivism. Their current recidivism rate is 6% in a program of 1,270 youth. Teen Court also receives funding from CDBG, Lawton Community Foundation, Sarkey's Foundation, OK. Bar Association, United Way, the Priddy Foundation, Juvenile Bureau, Board Donations, Fundraisers, and Classic Chevrolet. The $45,000.00 requested from Teen Court would be used for educational curriculum for faulty thinking, substa...
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