Rotary Welcomes Susan Watkins To Speak About Youth Court:
Susan Watkins is Graduate of Graceland University Bachelor of Arts & MU Law School Juris Doctorate. Previously Employed in private practice & by Jackson County Prosecutors Office. She is now a City of Independence Municipal Judge since and Executive Director of Independence and Eastern Jackson County Youth Court, which she will speak about today.
Susan is a mother of 4 kids: Eva, Andrea, Grant & Kyle and grandma of 2: Emerson & Henri. Involved as Youth Leader & camp director for Summit Grove Community of Christ & member of Fort Osage PTA & Project Grad committee. Member of Coordinated Community Council for Domestic Violence & MO Assoc of Municipal & Associate Circuit Judges Association & also the Eastern Jackson County Bar Assoc. On the Board of Directors for the Music Arts Institute.
Susan is a mother of 4 kids: Eva, Andrea, Grant & Kyle and grandma of 2: Emerson & Henri. Involved as Youth Leader & camp director for Summit Grove Community of Christ & member of Fort Osage PTA & Project Grad committee. Member of Coordinated Community Council for Domestic Violence & MO Assoc of Municipal & Associate Circuit Judges Association & also the Eastern Jackson County Bar Assoc. On the Board of Directors for the Music Arts Institute.
Youth Court
Youth Court is a peer court. Juvenile offenders are given the choice of appearing before the Youth Court or going to Jackson County Family Court. They will be Tried, Judged, Defended and convicted or exonerated by a court made up of other juveniles. The Youth Court will have guidelines established by adults. Adults will be available to monitor proceedings. However, the youth selected to serve the court will make the final decisions.
The primary goal of the Independence Youth Court is to reduce incidents of juvenile crime, divert offending youth from the Juvenile Justice System and to provide an alternative to the Jackson County Family court process and further contact with the police.
Most common cases heard in Youth Court are harassment, trespassing, shoplifting, curfew violation, disorderly conduct, vandalism, assault, truancy, minor in possession of alcohol, narcotics possession and runaways.
This unique court serves the community in diverse ways. It educates youth to a better understanding of the laws and allows them to examine the workings of the Justice System. Problem youth with minor offenses are often overlooked but can be appropriately handled in this court, benefiting the community, the police and themselves.
The Independence Youth Court is a cooperative project co-sponsored by the Eastern Jackson County Bar Association, the Juvenile Division of the Jackson County Family Court, the City of Independence, the Independence Police Department and the Independence School District. Youth Court is funded primarily by grants from the City of Independence. Local service organizations and the Truman Heartland Foundation also contribute funding. Independence Youth Court is also in large part funded by COMBAT. Jackson County's Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax.