The city already has a successful youth city council and is now in the process of forming a youth court that would feature a trial by peers for youth offenders in Syracuse.
The court would handle minor violations, such as truancy, limited shoplifting, various school offenses and underage tobacco use.According to Carter Haacke, who is helping organize the program, applications are being distributed in the city for members of the court and other personnel.
"We hope to be in the process of training by January," he said.
He said the court will feature two teams of three judges, plus other court workers such as bailiffs and recorders. It will take 10 to 12 young people, aged 14 to 18, to start up the court.
"They'll probably rotate monthly," Haacke said of the court workers.
Syracuse is patterning its court after the successful youth systems already in use in Spanish Fork and American Fork.
"We'll train them in the confidentiality area . . . We'll try to make it as professional as we can," Haacke said.
He said the purpose of the court is twofold: to expose kids to a justice court to perhaps stimulate interest in careers as a judge, at-tor-ney and to let teens be judged by their peers.
The city police will be the main source of referrals for the court, but it is also working closely with area schools and has the support of the City Council. Some youth offenses might have the option of either being handled by juvenile court or the city's youth court.
Penalties will mostly involve community or city service, such as work in the city parks.
"We want to help get kids responsible for their actions and also give something back to the community," Haacke said.
Haacke has also been involved with the Syracuse Youth Council and was nominated by the City Council to help start the youth court. Employed by the the state in child probate, Haacke agrees his background is helpful in youth court leadership.