A Spotlight on Peters Township ’ s Youth Commission eters Township
PETERS TOWNSHIP NEWS
The Peters Township Youth Commission is a Township Board that was created in 1990 to provide an alternative to formal juvenile proceedings for first time youths who are charged with minor offenses . This alternative to the traditional court system is designed to allow the youth to take responsibility for his or her action , while also addressing the needs of the victims and allowing for community involvement without burdening the juvenile court system .
Members of the Youth Commission , who must be Township residents , are appointed by Council and represent a cross section of the community . Currently , Peters Township ’ s Youth Commission has seven members . Four officers ( Chair , Vice Chair , Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary ) are elected annually .
The Youth Commission meets during each odd-numbered month , and schedules special meetings if necessary . Members receive cases that are referred by the Township Police Department . A case referral requires that the youth has never appeared before the Commission , is under 18 years of age and admits to a problem warranting involvement of the Youth Commission . All parties , including the youth , parent ( s ) and victim ( s ), must agree to the referral . The Township ordinance provides examples of the types of cases that might be referred .
Once the Youth Commission members consider a referral , a case is scheduled for an upcoming meeting attended by the involved youth and parents . Following the meeting , the Youth Commission decides whether or not to accept the case . If accepted , the involved youth and parents are offered a contract that sets forth the terms and conditions that must be completed in order for the youth to successfully exit the program . Community service is one of the most common requirements .
Youths are assigned one or two overseers , who are Youth Commission members that meet periodically with the youth to provide guidance in completing the contract requirements . The contract requirements must be completed by the time a second meeting with the Youth Commission is scheduled . If the youth does not complete all requirements , the case is referred back to previous procedures that would have taken place without the involvement of the Youth Commission . A youth may also elect to withdraw from the Youth Commission process at any time and proceed through the juvenile court system instead .
All Youth Commission proceedings are strictly confidential and are not open to the public . Likewise , all records are destroyed upon successful completion of the requirements set forth .
The majority of youths who agree to the process are able to satisfactorily complete the requirements within the specified timeline , and successful completion of the program allows the youth to avoid a criminal record .
“ The Youth Commission is important to the Township because it offers youths who make an error in judgment an opportunity to make amends without creating a
12 Peters Township criminal record that will follow them into the future ,” says Corresponding Secretary Cathy Skidmore . “ Most youths who go through the process successfully complete the requirements , and both they and their parents report that they find the experience to be very rewarding in providing a positive outcome and benefit to the community at large .”
For more information about the Peters Township Youth Commission , contact Chief Grimes at DGrimes @ peterstownship . com .
Current Members of the Peters Township Youth Commission
Paul McGrath – Chair Dr . Tim Skraitz – Vice Chair
Tamara Conrad – Recording Secretary
Cathy Skidmore – Corresponding Secretary
John Barnes Kellie Rogers Bootman Dr . Raymond Hsieh
Nine members may be a part of the Peters Township Youth Commission at any given time . Anyone interested in one of the two currently available positions should contact Chief Grimes for more information .