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other support and wraparound services. Without strong youth involvement these programs would not exist. Through meaningful service, the young person gains insight about the value of service which is reinforced throughout their involvement in the youth court program. Most youth involved in youth court programs are in their adolescent years—a very formative time in their lives. At this critical point in their social development, youth need and are looking for a way to make the world a better place. Many adults involved in local youth court programs see their involvement as making a difference in the lives of both the youth volunteers and youth offenders who proceed in youth court. Most youth volunteers see their involvement as positively impacting their peers who have violated the rule of law and could face more juvenile and likely adult crime if they do not adhere to the rule of law. Most youth courts strive to have the youthful offenders experience making a difference in their own lives by sitting in judgment of their peers and giving back to their community through constructive mandated community service projects that are much more than a “make work” project (Pericak, Peterson, & Lockart, 1996). Maybe in the end the greatest benefit of youth court is improving the quality of life for one, more, or all involved. Youth court should not be a negative experience for any of the youth involved. It is generally agreed if youth or adults are treated as criminals, they are going to act like it. Youth courts mostly agree it is a forum for allowing youth who have committed a minor offense to accept responsibility for their actions and allow their peers to hear the good, bad, and indifferent and arrive at a fair and just sentence largely comprised of mandated community service hours. A common sentiment of the adults behind the operation and administration of these programs is “It is not you we do not like—it is your behavior we do not like” (Peterson & Eppink, 2007). Almost all local youth court staff encourage and specially request the youth sentenced in youth court to return and volunteer after they have completed their peer-imposed sentence. Local youth court programs vary based on the models the adults have set in place. One of the most well-known youth court directors in America is Candace Fuji from a large youth court program in Illinois. In her program it is made clear that youth court is not only about punishment—it is about changing behavior. Candace noted, “We not only acknowledge and express the needs of the victim in youth court, we look at the needs of the youthful offender and their family.” Candace wisely capIf youth or adults are treated as criminals, they are going to act like it. tured a critical aspect of the program when she said, “Youth court provides an environment for change through youth assessments, drug and alcohol treatment, and character building opportunities.” Most adults who come from a youth development background to a juvenile justice background acknowledge little to nothing is done when youth commit their first few minor crimes. It is a disservice to youth to not hold them accountable and make time to help them realize they have done wrong (Fisher, 2002). Youth court makes time for juvenile crime and as Candace noted, “It is worth its weight in gold.” Even those familiar with youth court on a national and international levels were pleasantly shocked when George Washington University recently released national data showing that more than 1,925,596 mandated community service hours were assigned by the 1,200 plus youth courts in America in just a one-year period (Peterson & Elmendorf, 2001). If the minimum wage rate of $5.85 is applied to those hours, a total of $11,264,735 dollars were contributed to local communities benefiting from these local youth court programs assigning community service to the youthful offenders. Even if only half of that amount was accurate, one would be hard pressed to not support a local youth court that was operating a fairly solid program. The benefits of youth court programs to the community and its residents are substantial and increasing with a quality operational local program. It is often said in local youth court programs that the only thing better than a volunteer is a well-trained volunteer. Therefore, the service volunteers provide for youth courts is enhanced through effective volunteer training. If volunteers are adequately trained to assume their roles in youth court, the youthful offenders appearing in youth court will likely take their appearance before and during the peer imposes sanction much more seriously than if the young people volunteering in the various court roles are inadequately prepared. Youth volunteers need to be trained in not only how to assume the various court roles, but how to ask questions in a non-combative or threatening manner, how to prepare for the case, and a wide range of other considerations. Most youth summer 2009 volume 18, number 2 | 51