LYONS ? Rice County Atty. Chris Oakley wants to revive a Teen Court that was discontinued three months ago because of state funding cuts.

Oakley said he wanted to pay for the court by charging people who use it a fee and possibly using some county diversion funds.

He is motivated to revive the court because of its success in helping teens who have committed minor crimes, Oakley said. Teen Court set up a panel of youths who hear a case and levy punishment against their peers.

Of the 403 youths who went through the Teen Court system in the six years it existed in Rice County, only 40 failed to complete the sentence and were sent back through the juvenile court system, said Don Learned of Great Bend, who directed the 20th Judicial District Court program.

Referral to Teen Court is only for teenagers who have never been arrested. They must plead guilty and appear before the Teen Court to be sentenced.

“It’s not a matter of guilty or not guilty,” Learned said. “But it’s what the punishment should be.”

Teen Court jurors can require sentences of restitution, community service and letters of apology, Oakley said.

“They have the ability to get pretty creative and to model the punishment based on the facts of the individual case,” he said. “To be honest, a lot of times they are tougher than a judge would have been.”

A Teen Court also frees the District Court from handling lower-level misdemeanor crimes, Oakley said.

After offenders have completed their sentence, they are required to return and serve on the teen court jury panel.

“Teen Court is a win-win,” Learned said. “A kid gets arrested, he doesn’t have to hire an attorney, isn’t placed on probation and, after successful community service, doesn’t have a record.”