Miami-Dade County Teen Court

Teen Court volunteers can help make a big difference in the lives of young people.

Youth volunteers

Must be in middle or high school
Get a jump start on legal and criminal justice careers
Improve leadership skills
Experience positive peer pressure interaction
Can volunteer for four, eight or 12 months
Can be bailiffs, court clerks, jurors, defense attorneys or prosecuting attorneys

Adult volunteers

Must be 18 years of age or older
Have the opportunity to serve in the community
Serve as mentors to Miami-Dade's youth
Help cultivate a new generation of legal professionals while having a positive impact on young people who make poor choices
Are asked to volunteer at least four times per year
Can be court monitors, mentors, attorneys, judges, and more

Teens who serve as jury, defense and attorney will make a recommendation based on the type of offense that has been committed. After listening to arguments from both sides and jury deliberations, a judge will decide which sanction he or she will serve.

Possible sanctions include

Serve on a jury
Attend educational workshops
Participate in jail tours
Community service hours
Compose and present essays

Eligibility

Petit theft
Possession of marijuana
Disorderly conduct
Grand theft auto
Parent/school referrals
Trespassing
Third-degree felony
Truancy

Program Benefits
- Reduces recidivism to less than 3 percent
- Offers relief to the local justice system
- Develops responsible and knowledgeable civically-engaged citizens
- Provides ongoing learning and growth opportunities which impact all residents
- Encourages collaboration partnerships between youth and the local police department
Psychological Services and Workshops
Psychological Services
Teen Court offers psychological services that promote youth success. These resources allow young people to:
- Learn more about themselves
- Receive evidence-based assessment and treatment to equip them with necessary life skills
- Share experiences with others
- Connect with subject matter experts
- Gain knowledge that will prove invaluable in the future
The Family Empowerment Session
Strengthens families impacted by youth delinquency. These sessions cover effective problem-solving methods and family character education.

Individual Youth Counseling
Helps defendants overcome issues related to peer pressure, substance abuse, conflict management and other common adolescent adjustments.

The Parent Involvement Workshop
Assists parents or guardians with sharpening their parental skills enabling them to break the cycle of negative behavior by their children. The workshop addresses issues related to parental stress, improving parenting skills and parent-child relationships.

Workshops
Parents or participants are encouraged to attend a workshop to expose them to educational experiences through weekly and monthly workshops and counseling sessions. The following workshops are provided.
- Anger Management
  Sessions include assessment and evaluation of the youth's anger and personal control. Participants needing this intervention must take a minimum of five sessions of counseling in order to receive credit for completion.
- Ethics
  This course focuses on the importance of ethical behavior at school, home, and in the workplace. This course is mandatory for all Teen Court participants.
- Jail Tours and Boot Camps
  These mandatory tours facilitated by Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department give Teen Court participants an opportunity to see real life behind bars.
- Law-Related Education Training
  Teen Court volunteers interested in serving the court as youth attorneys receive training and are exposed to legal concepts and procedures utilized by Miami-Dade County Teen Court.
- Money and Banking
  Provides participants with the basics of money management.
- Retail Theft Prevention
  This workshop is designed specifically for youthful offenders charged with retail/petit theft. Participants discuss the impact that theft has had on business and consumers.
- Substance Abuse Preventative Workshop
  Group sessions covering aspects of substance abuse including the effect on the individual, the families, and the long-term cost to society.
Teen Court Locations
- Mondays at 6 p.m.
  Richard Gerstein Justice Building
  1351 NW 12th Street, Court Room 1-5
  Miami, FL 33125
- Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
  South Dade Government Center
  10710 SW 211th Street, Court Room 2-2
  Cutler Bay, FL 33189
- Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
  North Dade Justice Center
  15555 Biscayne Blvd., Court Room 207
  Miami, FL 33160
- First Thursday of Every Month at 5 p.m.
  Miami Gardens City Hall
  18605 NW 27th Avenue, Commission Chamber
  Miami Gardens, FL 33056
- Second, Third and Fourth Thursday at 6 p.m.
  Hialeah City Hall
  501 Palm Avenue, Commission Chamber
  Hialeah, FL 3310
Student Court
The Student Court program is designed to
- Help empower youth
- Provide an avenue to reduce time spent out of school due to low-level infractions
- Address safety issues
- Create a positive learning environment
- Help students become well-educated, civically-engaged citizens
- Promote positive peer pressure
- Foster character building
- Encourage critical thinking, problem solving-decision making and other positive leadership skills among students
Other benefits include
- Improved school safety
- Discipline options for administration
- Reduces student continuous involvement in school-rule violations
Schools where student court is available
- Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School
- Brownsville Middle School (Pilot)
- Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School
- Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School
- Hialeah Senior High School
- Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial High School
- Miami Arts Studios 6-12
- Miami Beach Senior High School
- Miami Carol City Senior High School
- Miami Central Senior High School
- Miami Killian Senior High School
- Miami Norland Senior High School
- Miami Northwestern Senior High School
- Miami Southridge Senior High School
- Miami Springs Middle School (Pilot)
- South Dade Senior High School