Youth Court

Youth court programs in New Bedford and Fall River are getting a boost from Beacon Hill. Local lawmakers have secured $100,000 for youth courts in both cities. Youth courts are juvenile diversion programs that offer first time youthful offenders the chance to go before a jury of their peers, rather than appear in the traditional juvenile justice system...

The chief sponsor of the Youth Court Program is hopeful funding can be found to keep it operating in New Bedford and Fall River. Carl Alves of Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction says the program joins with schools to bring youthful offenders before a jury of their peers who listen to arguments and decide their fate...