Q. Will I
get any materials before the hearing date?
A.
You will receive your materials (teen training guide, police report) via
email once the assignments are posted (usually about 1-2 weeks before the
hearing date).
Q. Who
will the witnesses be?
A.
For the defense, the respondent and one parent always testify.
Letters of recommendation/character can be introduced as evidence to support
the respondent’s case; however, they must be from an esteemed member of the
community (i.e. a teacher, principal, counselor, church official, business
owner/boss, etc.).
For
the prosecution,
the arresting officer or victim can be called as a witness. Please check with the team you are training to
determine if such a witness should be called. Inform someone from the
Q. Should
I contact the teen attorneys personally?
A.
Yes, please contact your teen attorneys and establish a method, of
communication (either phone, email or in person) so you can supervise their
case preparations. Request that they submit their work to you for
approval/feedback prior to the court session.
Q. Will there be any time to meet
with the teen attorneys before the hearing starts?
A.
Yes! Teen attorneys, their mentors and their client(s) will have
anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to meet and discuss last minute details and
information in a private setting.
Q. Since the respondent has
admitted guilt, what are the defense and prosecution trying to accomplish?
For
the defense, it’s
the team’s job to present as much mitigating information about the respondent
as possible so that the jury has a good sense of who the respondent is separate
from the offense (i.e. grades in school, relationships at home/school,
extracurricular activities, remorse, previous punishment for the offense, any
actions taken by the respondent to repair the harm caused by the crime).
For
the prosecution, it’s
the team’s job to show the effect of the crime to the direct victim and the community
at large, thus protecting the interests of the people of California, as well as
present any aggravating factors (i.e. premeditation of the crime, lack of
remorse, instigating the offense, lack of respect for the arresting officer,
etc.)
Q. What do I do during the
pre-trial and hearing sessions?
A.
As a mentor, your job is to offer assistance to the students as needed
and help guide them if they appear to need it. You are basically a silent
partner that can be called upon for support when needed. Feel free to point out
any areas needing improvement. Let your experience and expertise guide them
towards an effective and appropriate case presentation!
Q. What is Restorative Justice
(RJ)?
A.
Restorative Justice is the underlying philosophy of
Repairing the harm created by the crime to
victims, communities and relationships
Volunteers learn to identify where the
harm was created (even if only to the respondent and his/her family).
Respondent accountability and competency
development
Volunteers learn to identify the level
of remorse of the respondent as well as skills that the respondent could
develop to lead a more productive, positive life.
Community Safety
Volunteers learn to develop a sentence
powerful enough, addressing the true needs of the respondent and his/her family
that will prevent re-offense and promote pro-social behaviors that benefit the
community
We
teach the volunteers the pneumonic of R.O.C.
to help them remember the elements.