Albany County

BETHLEHEM YOUTH COURT, INC.

Youth Courts train local teenagers to serve as jurors, judges and attorneys, handling real-life cases involving their peers. The programs use positive peer pressure to ensure that young people who have committed minor offenses pay back the community and receive the help they need to avoid further involvement in the criminal justice system. They encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions and to acknowledge how their behavior affects the quality of life in the community. For more information about the Bethlehem Youth Court contact the person below.

Contact: 518-439-4955 x1143

COLONIE YOUTH COURT

www.colonie.org/police/youthcourt

Youth Courts train local teenagers to serve as jurors, judges and attorneys, handling real-life cases involving their peers. The programs use positive peer pressure to ensure that young people who have committed minor offenses pay back the community and receive the help they need to avoid further involvement in the criminal justice system. They encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions and to acknowledge how their behavior affects the quality of life in the community. For more information about the Colonie Youth Court contact the person below.

Contact: Violet Colydas, Director, colydasv@colonie.org, 518-782-2638

JURY SERVICE MEDIA CONTEST

This contest, coordinated by the court system’s Office of Public Affairs, invited students (under the guidance of their teachers) to use their creativity to highlight the importance of jury service, submitting posters and other materials. Entries were judged by the participating county’s jury commissioner’s office, with awards presented locally to the winners, whose entries were displayed in public venues throughout the state.

Who is eligible? High school students in the following counties: Albany, Bronx, Broome, Dutchess, Erie, Kings, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Onondaga, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Schenectady, Suffolk and Westchester.

How to apply: Contest guidelines and entry forms were available at www.nyjuror.gov/contest

Program Schedule: Annual