About Youth Court

The City of Aurora Youth Court is designed for youth who have committed first time offenses such as shoplifting, curfew violations, alcohol use, causing disturbances and other misdemeanors. Youth Court allows an opportunity to complete alternative sentencing diversion from traditional court and offers the possibility of having an offense removed from a respondent’s record after one year of having no more offenses.

Based on Restorative Justice, the youth and their parents/guardians appear before the youth court jury. The youth court jury hears the case, deliberates on sentencing options, and then sentence the youth respondent.

Youth respondents are referred by the Aurora Police Department. The sentencing requires the youth respondent to schedule meetings with the Youth Court Program Coordinator to learn better decision making skills, better habits, make wiser choices, and perform community service hours.

Also, a session with a Social Worker and/or Social Work Intern is required to explore supportive counseling. The youth respondent will be involved in a total of 7-10 hours from the time of sentencing to completion in the span of one month. The respondent has to complete all of the program requirements successfully or they will be referred back to the conventional law enforcement system.

 Requirements

• Appear before the youth court jury and explain your case.**
• Meet with Youth Court Program Coordinator for 1-3 hours to receive facilitation in restorative justice principles and optional; sentencing educational activities.
• Must be referred by the Aurora Police Department.**
• Return and appear before the Youth Court Peer Jury with all sentencing requirements complete.
• Schedule and complete a counseling session with a Social Worker and/or Social Work Intern (provided by Communities in Schools).
• Under the supervision of the Youth Court Program Coordinator, complete 2-4 hours of community service.
• Must sign and submit the Confidentiality Oath.

** Parents/Guardians required to attend with youth respondents.
 * Parents/Guardians may be asked to participate.

Youth Court Peer Juror

To become a youth court peer juror, you must be a student (grades 8th-12th) in good standing at your school. Please fill out the application and the waiver, completely fill it out and signed by your parents/guardians, and either drop it off at:

44 E Downer Place
Aurora, IL 60505

You can also mail it to the Youth and Senior Services Division at the same address. The Youth Court is in session on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m. and is held at:

Aurora Police Department
1200 Indian Trail Road
Aurora, IL 60505.

More Information

Need more information? Contact Simon Rodriguez or Sandra Sarmiento.

The Youth Court Program is made possible by Juvenile Accountability Block Grant funds received by the Kane County Court Services and the Illinois Department of Human Services.