SB 257-YOUTH COURTS AND CRIMINAL FINES  1:31:11 PM CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration of SB 257. SENATOR DENNIS EGAN, sponsor of SB 257, Alaska State Legislature, explained that SB 257 will provide a sustainable source of funding for Alaska youth courts. He explained that young people who are picked up for misdemeanor violations and alcohol offenses receive a trial by their peers. These courts work; less that 10 percent of juveniles that go through this program reoffend, he said. This saves money in the long run and is beneficial to young people because they receive real attention and real consequences when they might otherwise not get a hard look. He noted that highly trained youth corrections resources are available for hard cases. Another benefit is that youth volunteers receive training in the basics of criminal law, research, writing, and public speaking. He highlighted that a portion of the funding comes from criminal fines, which makes sense. JESSE KIEHL, staff to Senator Dennis Egan, Alaska State Legislature noted that the sponsor statement understates the recidivism rate for youth court participants. It is 10.6 percent statewide. 1:34:04 PM SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI joined the committee. SENATOR COGHILL asked if youth court fines are limited to a certain level. MR. KIEHL explained that youth courts don't levy fines, but they can assess restitution for offenses. The fines addressed in the bill are those that are assessed by judges against defendants in the traditional justice system. CHAIR FRENCH asked Mr. Kiehl to remind the committee about where the fines will come from, who will assess the fines, and how much might be collected. MR. KIEHL said that Alaska Court System judges assess fines against criminal defendants and the court system estimates that the total fines it collects each year amount to approximately $5 million statewide. SB 257 would empower the Legislature to account for the fines with a designation and appropriate up to [25 percent] for youth courts. Mr. Kiehl noted that he looks forward to determining how much is actually needed as the bill moves through the committee process. 1:36:55 PM SETH RICKY, Advocate, Juneau Youth Court, said he's been a participant in the court program since last year. He attributes the program to helping him become a better public speaker and feels it has prepared him to pursue a career path within the American justice system. It's also been a valuable experience to see the change students undergo when they've gone through the system. I truly believe that youth court gives kids a second chance after they've made a bad decision, he said. Peer administered justice is similar to receiving counseling. The program shows what teenagers are capable of doing, Mr. Ricky concluded. CHAIR FRENCH asked if he intends to continue with the program. MR. RICKY said yes. 1:39:26 PM MEGAN STANGELAND, Advocate, Juneau Youth Court, described the youth court program as important, strong, and effective. The basis is peers helping peers navigate difficult situations. She agreed with Mr. Ricky about the importance of having students look to other students as advocates who have taken different paths and made better decisions. She related that youth courts are sentencing hearings rather than trial hearings so the advocates are able to personalize the sentencing to focus on a youth's interests and strengths to the benefit of the community. It's a way of giving back to the community that also helps the youth, she concluded. CHAIR FRENCH asked which roles she's taken in youth court. MR. STANGELAND replied she's taken about all the roles including the bailiff, the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and the defense attorney. SENATOR COGHILL asked what instruction advocates receive with regard to sentencing. MS. STANGLAND explained that advocates listen to the defendant's side of the story and to what the defense says about him or her. After that the defendant is queried about what he or she likes to do and how this could give back to the community. The advocates then convene and try to give the defendant meaningful and relevant community service hours or a creative project that will help them reflect and make better decisions in the future. SENATOR COGHILL commented that it sounds like the defendant has significant input. MS. STANGLAND replied advocates want their peers to be successful and to complete their community service hours; assessing meaningless community service hours benefits no one. GINNY ESPENSHADE said she is substituting for Sharon Leon, the Executive Director of the Anchorage Youth Court and is available to answer questions.  1:43:23 PM CHAIR FRENCH closed public testimony and held SB 257 in committee.