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- New Iberia Teen Court teach teens the justice system
New Iberia Teen Court teach teens the justice system
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NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) --- A mock trial by the New Iberia Teen Court was held in the New Iberia City Hall Courtroom on Tuesday night to display a real courtroom scenario to kids and show them what can happen in the justice system.
Tyra Mcwhorter is the director of teen court. She said it is "basically a sentencing court, and the beauty of it is justice for teens by teens."
Teen Court was started by the Garon Paul Atkinson Lewis Foundation to help steer teens away from violence. President and founder of GPAL Foundation Raymond "Shoe-Do" Lewis said they have been successful in doing so.
Lewis said, "When we started, New Iberia was number 23 in the country in cities our size in violent crimes. Since we have been dealing with the Teen Court, it has dramatically dropped."
This is the third mock trial that has been put together. The scenario is a teen who was at school that got caught selling vape pens in the bathroom.
The teens can choose to be the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, the clerk, the bailiff or the jurors. Once assigned, they are trained in the position.
Lewis and Mcwhorter said its presence gives kids opportunities to be active in the community and exposes them to possible career paths in law.
"It shows them there is a better way," said Lewis. "They come;they don't want to leave. They get sentenced by their peers; they don't want to leave."
"I get excited about it, watching these kids take it serious," said Mcwhorter. "I wish I could pay them because they do a very good job, and hopefully the world is able to see how much work they put into it and how they really care about what they do."