New Trier Township

Great Place to Raise a Family
Youngsters at Risk
New Trier Township is a great place to raise a family, but, as happens in every community, our youngsters sometimes get into trouble and need help to deal with it.

One source of help for non-violent, first time law breakers is the Peer Jury Program. If he/she admits guilt and has parent's permission, the offender may be referred to a jury of his/her peers. The jury listens to the charge (presented by a police officer), questions the offenders about the circumstances of the incident, and, as a group, agree on an appropriate sentence - usually a number of hours of community service and sometimes a written paper or an apology.

Offenders are not allowed to shrug off their guilt. Their peers require them to work it off. Their own group says to the offender, "We can't be fooled or conned, but we believe you deserve a second chance. Do your part and you get that chance."

The Township's Peer Jury Program was created in 1998 by a collaboration of the Township Board, police departments from Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Northfield, and Glencoe, public and private high schools in the area and social service agencies that serve the Township. The juvenile officer at the arresting police department decides whether a case is appropriate for the peer jury. Typical offenses are shoplifting, vandalism, fighting, trespassing, curfew violation, and possessing drug paraphernalia or marijuana.

A group of six to eight trained high school students comprise a jury. The adult Peer Jury Coordinator monitors the offender's progress. When the sentence has been fulfilled, he informs the police and the Peer Jury. If the offender does not complete the sentence, the case may be referred back to the juvenile officer and may be taken to Cook County Juvenile Court.

Communities in suburban Cook County that have Peer Jury programs have found they cut down on repeat offenses. The recidivism rate can be less than five percent; the standard estimate for repeaters is over 50 percent. The cost of a Peer Jury Program is minimal while sending one offender to juvenile court is estimated to be $8,000.

Who are the Peer Jurors?
High School Age Volunteers
Peer Jurors are high school age volunteers, students at local public and private schools. With their parents' permission and the recommendations of school advisors, they have completed a rigorous training. (New Trier Township's training is a model for other communities.) At present there are about 30 jurors who serve in small groups. They have signed a contract to serve a required number of hours each month. The juries meet once or twice a month, depending on case load.

The identities of the peer jurors are confidential as are the identities of the offenders.

Would you like to be a peer juror? To qualify you must:

Be between the ages of 13 and 17
Be a student at New Trier High School, North Shore County Day School, Regina Dominican School, or Loyola Academy
Have an interest in helping your peers
Be willing to work objectively with the police, social service agencies, and members of the community
Have had no personal involvement with law enforcement for the past 6 months
Applications for peer jurors and adult facilitators are available from the Community Services Administrator at New Trier Township, 739 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093. Call (847) 446-8203 for information.