PORT ANGELES — Tracey Lassus grilled the witness to demonstrate an effective cross examination.
The witness, Port Angeles High School senior Sam Walder, was playing the part of an person charged with being a minor in possession –or MIP — during a mock trial at Clallam County Teen Court on Wednesday.
The court will be featured on TVW’s “Engaged” series, which showcases students participating in local government and law.
TVW, the state’s public affairs television network, will tape two trials on Feb. 25 and air them on a date to be determined.
“When you arrived at the party, how long was it before you took your first drink?” Lassus asked on Wednesday.
“Ten minutes,” Walder said. “It’s peer pressure these days.”
“What does peer pressure mean to you, Sam?” Lassus followed.
There was a long pause.
“Getting a little warm, Sam?” Lassus said, as 40 teens broke into laughter.
In live Teen Court, the consequences are no laughing matter.
The diversion program for first-time juvenile offenders charged with misdemeanors is considered a legal court in the state of Washington.
The only difference between Teen Court and a conventional court is the prosecutors, defenders, judge and jury are teens.
“It’s peers judging peers,” said Danetta Rutten, who runs the program with Lassus, Irene Dubeau and Kim Burns. “They work through the justice process.”
Trials and practices take place at Clallam County Juvenile Services Detention Facility in Port Angeles.
Model court
The Teen Court, one of five in the state, has become something of a model.
“It started out as a really small group,” said Walder, who joined Teen Court about five years ago.
It has since grown to 43 students from Crescent, Port Angeles and Sequim schools.
“We got so big a couple years ago, I had to split it into two teams,” Rutten said.
Every case heard in Teen Court saves an average of $6,000 in court costs, Rutten said.
Most are MIP cases, Rutten said.
“I have heard nothing but great things about them,” Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deb Kelly said.
Teen Court is apt to come up with strong but creative rulings that “really have an impact on offenders,” Kelly said.
One girl who was caught stealing makeup was ordered by the Teen Court to go a full week without wearing makeup, said Cody Spencer, a senior at Port Angeles High School who played the judge on Wednesday.
In another case, a girl was accused of giving a false name to law enforcement officers, so the court ordered her to write her name 1,000 times so she wouldn’t forget.
A boy who was caught with a bong had to write anti-drug messages at his school.
Another boy caught skateboarding illegally was ordered to post a sign at his school showing 10 places you can skateboard legally.
“The biggest impact we see is the peer-to-peer system,” said Pete Peterson, director of Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services.
‘Good response’
“We’re getting a good response from both the kids involved in Teen Court and the feedback from parents that have kids who have gone through the Teen Court system. . . . We’re real pleased with it.”
Many students join Teen Court to fulfill a community service requirement in school. Others are recruited by their peers.
Former offenders can join the court after one year of staying out of trouble.
Recently, offenders have been sentenced to speak at elementary schools, which can be very difficult for some.
Reaction to the court has varied, Walder said. One parent called it a circus, and some get highly involved in the trials, he said.
“It’s really across the spectrum,” said Walder, who is headed to the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma to study music education or pre-med.
Spencer said the program has helped him gain some perspective from the backgrounds of the offenders.
“It’s good to help restore justice in them,” said Spencer, who plans to study elementary education or communications at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
“I’ve become a lot more confident speaking in public,” Walder said.
Jury members in Teen Court take on the responsibility of deliberating by themselves.
“There are no adults in the room,” Rutten said.
Drug and alcohol offenders are ordered to undergo a professional evaluation, after which they are determined to have no significant problem, a problem of misuse or chemical dependency. The scope of their drug and alcohol treatment stems from that evaluation.
Veterans of the program — like Spencer and Walder — have served in every capacity in the courtroom.
Spencer said he enjoys arguing for the defense because he likes to see all sides of the story.
Most start out on the jury.
“They trade off roles all the time,” Rutten said.
“A lot of kids stay in the jury. They let me know when they’re ready.”
First offenders in non-felony cases are eligible for Teen Court.
“A kid has the option of accepting or declining,” Rutten explained.
“Very few kids will ever decline.”
In most weeks, the court hears a pair of cases on Wednesday.
“They develop real self-esteem,” Rutten said.
“They believe they are making a difference.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
