The Time Dollar Youth Court (TDYC) was authorized in 1996 by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to work with the courts in a "partnership for the purpose of jointly developing a diversion program that provides a meaningful alternative to the traditional adjudication format in juvenile cases."
Youth Court converts a youth's early encounters with the law into a turning point in that youth's life, leading to enhanced self-esteem, contribution, and opportunity.
Using the Co-production Model pioneered by the Time Dollar Institute and Time Banks USA, the Time Dollar Youth Court recognizes, validates, and rewards participants using Time Dollars and incentives for their participation in jury duty and other components of the program.
Youth Court enlists young people in creating a new kind of juvenile justice where youth juries have the power to impose a sentence on juvenile offenders and where non-violent juvenile respondents can avoid formal prosecution for their offense by carrying out the sentence imposed by their peers.
