Peer Jury

PEER JURY

What is the Peer Jury Program? It is a program built on the principles of Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ). It is designed to provide a meaningful and remedial method of dealing with selected juvenile (under age 17) offenders without reference to the Juvenile Court. It does not determine guilt or innocence. A case is only sent to the Peer Jury for hearing by a jury of seven juveniles and an adult moderator when (1) the offender admits having committed the offense; (2) the responsible police officer determines that such a disposition is appropriate; and (3) the offender and his/her parent or guardian consent in writing to such a disposition and sign a Waiver of Liability and Confidentiality.

When these conditions are met, the offender and his/her parent or guardian are scheduled for a hearing before a Peer Jury panel at a definite date and time. At the hearing, a police officer reads the charges, states the possible sentence if the offense were committed by an adult, and summarizes the facts of the case. The offender is then questioned by the members of the panel. The offender and his/her parent or guardian then withdraw while the jury deliberates and fixes appropriate consequences. The sentence always includes some form of individualized community service.

Peer Jury Mission

The Township of Downers Grove Peer Jury seeks to provide a means for a youth offender the opportunity to account for his/her behavior to a group of his/her peers and repair the harm caused to the victim and the community. Peer Jurors will attempt to understand why the offender committed the offense and then assign consequences to help him/her be accountable for his/her actions. When assigning consequences, the three goals of BARJ that will be addressed when sentencing the offender are: Social Competency, Accountability, and Community Safety. In order to accomplish the above mission, peer jurors must have a good understanding of the facts of each case. To achieve this, jurors may ask questions of the offender, his/her parents, and the juvenile officer during the hearing of a case. Jurors ask and appropriate questions so they may get a clear understanding of the facts. A peer juror approaches each case seriously and in a professional manner. Prior to serving, a juror receives training and from the Townships' Director of Youth Services who administers the program as well as the Peer Jury Coordinators. They also participate in a mock jury prior to being sworn in. The role of jurors is to question the offender and determine an appropriate “sentence.” Written outlines of procedures and suggested questions are provided in a training manual. Each peer juror must make a commitment to attend meetings and hearings on a regular basis and to respect the confidentiality associated with the program. Jurors disqualify themselves from the jury if the offender is known to them. They are required to report any attempts to intimidate or influence them.

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