McCullum Youth Court

Address

287 Seventeenth Street, Suite 325

Oakland, CA 94612

Telephone: 510-832-5858 Fax: 510-834-4421

Website: www.youthcourt.org

Email: rachel@youthcourt.org

Contacts

CEO: Rachel Sing, Ed.D.

Year Incorporated: 1994

Category:

Service Provider

Mission Statement:

To change young lives and impact communities by providing empowering opportunities for youth through collaborative peer justice that aims to divert young offenders from the juvenile justice system.

History/Goals/Objectives:

Based in Oakland since its inception in 1994, Donald P. McCullum Youth Court (MYC) reaches nearly 3,000 youth and their families in North Alameda County each year. Our agency mission , in sum, is to change young lives and impact communities by providing empowering opportunities for youth through collaborative peer justice. Based on a national peer court model, MYC uses a collaborative justice approach to provide an effective alternative to standard juvenile court for first time offenders. Youthful offenders are represented, counseled, and held accountable by peers - and offered a second chance to make a change in their life, using peer accountability and support along with the support of special services and case management. In the Youth Law Program, high school students develop legal knowledge and skills to counsel youth offenders, as well as to prosecute and defend them in court. In addition, middle and high school students from anywhere in the County may participate as peer jurors, earning community service hours, after attending the Juror Service training at MYC Court Night. With the exception of adult Judges, Youth Court is staffed entirely by youth. Founded by a judge, a district attorney, and a teacher to provide much needed early intervention for youth offenders, for more than a decade MYC has provided effective services that build young people's developmental assets, addressing the ongoing societal need to a) divert first-time youth offenders from the standard juvenile judicial system and b) increase all young people's positive involvement with law and justice. MYC programs target under resourced communities and underserved populations. MYC's founders where involved in developing the model for youth courts on a national level. Regarding the youth offender population, MYC has been working with a steadily younger client as the age of youth committing offenses drops. MYC represents an effective response to the community need for 1) a viable alternative to youthful incarceration, 2) purposeful, positive relationships with peers and caring adults, and 3) meaningful opportunities for knowledge and skills building and involvement in a community. Both the Youth Offender and the Youth Law Program address the need for experiential learning and leadership/civic opportunities for all youth to build confidence and a sense of self efficacy; to cultivate relationships across such boundaries as race, ethnicity, gender, and class; and to foster college and career aspirations particularly in households where primary adults have not graduated college. Youth offenders are encouraged through a special Apprentice Program to enter the Youth Law Program. The purpose of the Apprentice Program as a transition to the Youth Law Program is to enable youth especially at risk for entering the juvenile judicial system to remain connected to services that focus on each young person's strengths and build developmental assets. A new Novice Program reaches out to middle schools students to engage them in the Youth Law Program with developmentally appropriate activities. MYC represents an inter-agency collaboration between the Alameda County District Attorney's Office; Alameda County Department of Probation; Police Departments in the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Piedmont; and the Alameda County Superior Court; as well as a range of community-based organizations that serve as service providers (substance abuse, mental health, etc.) and community service sites for youthful offenders. Building relationships with Oakland public and charter schools, faith-based organizations, and other youth serving organizations is a priority.

Target Populations:

Middle

High

Male

Female

McCullum Youth Court is committed to address DMC (disproportionate minority contact) and its ramifications.

Staff Capacity: 7

McCullum Youth Court also engages college, community, and professional volunteers to assist with various aspects of service delivery.

Language Capacity (other than English): Spanish, Mandarin

Organizational Operating Budget: $500,000 - $1 Million

Geographic Areas Served (current):

Citywide