The Impact of Teen Courts on Youth Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Processing juvenile offenders in the traditional justice system can lead to a range of negative consequences. As an alternative to formal criminal processing, many jurisdictions have begun to implement diversion programs for first-time or low-level offenders. This systematic review sought to summarize evidence of the effectiveness of one commonly used diversion model, Teen Courts, on outcomes for juvenile offenders. Teen Courts were defined as any intervention for youth (ages 10–17) in which the participating offenders’ peers were involved in verdict or sentencing. Final analysis included 22 studies. Among the 15 studies that assessed statistical significance of recidivism, 4 found statistically significant results favoring Teen Courts, 1 found statistically significant results favoring the traditional justice system, and 10 found null results. Most studies provided little detail regarding the structure or approach of Teen Courts under study and varied widely in research design, comparison group, and operationalization of recidivism, making it difficult to compare results. In order to inform decision-making about the use of Teen Courts, additional studies are needed that maximize internal and external validity, consider pathways of intervention effects, and examine potentially differential impacts of the program on participating youth.