East Palo Alto Youth Court

EAST PALO ALTO YOUTH COURT OPERATED AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSIONS BY UTILIZING A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MODEL THAT PROVIDES A YOUTH-LED, NON-ADVERSARIAL PROCESS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE HARM THEIR ACTIONS HAVE CAUSED TO OTHERS AND TO THEIR SCHOOL, TAKE STEPS TO REPAIR THAT HARM, AND LEARN TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IN THE FUTURE. IN CONTRAST TO SUSPENSION, DETENTION OR OTHER PUNISHMENTS, THE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION PROGRAM REINFORCES MEMBERSHIP IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY BY EMPHASIZING INCLUSIVENESS, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND PROBLEM SOLVING, AS PRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES TO BUILD HEALTHY SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND ADDRESS DISCIPLINARY ISSUES WHEN THEY ARISE. IN ADDITION, THE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION PROGRAM TRAINS YOUTHS IN VALUABLE, TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS, SUCH AS PUBLIC SPEAKING, ACTIVE LISTENING, CRITICAL THINKING AND COLLABORATIVE DECISION-MAKING, AND INSTILLS A HABIT OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. EAST PALO ALTO YOUTH COURT PROVIDED THE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION PROGRAM TO FIVE SCHOOLS IN EAST PALO ALTO: COSTAÑO SCHOOL, THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS ACADEMY, GREEN OAKS ACADEMY, CESAR CHAVEZ ACADEMY, AND BELLE HAVEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL. EAST PALO ALTO YOUTH COURT INTRODUCED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE TO OVER 500 STUDENTS. EAST PALO ALTO YOUTH COURT TRAINED OVER 75 STUDENT VOLUNTEERS TO LEAD THE PEER RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES. OVER 120 STUDENTS AT RISK FOR SUSPENSION UTILIZED THE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION PROGRAM AND WERE GIVEN CONSTRUCTIVE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CONSEQUENCES IN LIEU OF OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION. EAST PALO ALTO IS PREDOMINANTLY LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME. THE STUDENTS SERVED ARE PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER, AND HISPANIC.