Harlem Youth Court

The Harlem Youth Court, which trains teenagers to serve as jurors, judges and advocates, handling real-life cases involving their peers, is now accepting applications. The goal of the court is to use positive peer pressure to ensure that young people who have committed minor offenses learn accountability and restore the harm done to the community and receive the help they need to avoid further involvement in the justice system. Through the experience of serving on the court, youth develop critical thinking, leadership, and public speaking skills. In order to apply, youth must be between the ages of 14 and 18 by September 2015, must be able to attend 8 weeks of summer training, and must be able to attend hearings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30 - 7:00 PM, from September 2015-June 2016. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.