Jury of Peers Has Impact in Md. Teen Court
Most of the jurors who decide punishments in a teen court in Montgomery County, Md., do as well as adults, says the judge who oversees the program.
Terrence McGann told the Washington Post the teens take their jobs seriously. “I’ve found that their sentences for the most part have been very appropriate,” he said.
The 10-year-old program provides a second chance for first-time teen offenders who admit their guilt to minor crimes. If the offender completes the sentence imposed by the jury of peers, he or she will have no criminal record.
All the defendants have to complete community service. But the teen jurors may also require the offenders to write essays, apologize to their victims, attend addiction programs and serve as teen jurors in future cases. McGann has the authority to raise or lower sentences if he deems them to be inappropriate.
More then 2,300 youths have been sentenced under the program, and 90 percent successfully completed their punishment.
