SARATOGA COUNTY – A successful youth court program that has teenagers helping other teenagers in trouble is in danger of closing down next year because of lack of funding.

For more than a decade, Saratoga County’s Youth Court has trained student-court officers who provide an alternative sentencing program for their peers.

Judy Ekman, executive director of the Prevention Council of Saratoga County, which runs youth court, said the annual state funding for the program was cut in 2009.

Youth Court, which each year deals with about 120 first-time school-age criminal offenders, was able to raise enough money to continue this year.

But Ekman said on Tuesday the Prevention Council is afraid it will have to end youth court unless it can somehow raise between $70,000 and $90,000 to keep the program running in 2010.

“I love this program,” Ekman said. “I really believe this [youth court] is very effective.”

Others, including judges and town justices across the county, believe the same thing.

“Youth Court gives our kids an opportunity to remedy a bad situation other than with fines and jail, which are not the answer for kids,” said Wilton Town Justice John Wood in a youth court testimonial.

“Youth Court also gives me as a judge more time to deal with other problems,” Wood wrote. “The people involved in Saratoga Youth Court are a prized possession. Don’t lose it!”

Ekman said she and her staff are using the month of January as a time to raise support for the program before deciding to scrap it. A final decision will be made in February. Youth Court currently has two staff members, director Lisa Chamberlain and Dawn Knight.

A total of 120 youth court defendants go through the program each year with 175 trained youth court officers handling the cases across the country.

For example, if a young person commits a crime in the city of Mechanicville, the City Court would refer the case to Saratoga County Youth Court.

The youth court then has the young offender participate in a trial by his or her peers and receive a sentence, which often consists of community service and other sanctions.

“Research has shown that participating in youth court makes offenders much less likely to commit another crime,” Ekman said.

The young people who volunteer for youth court are between the ages of 14 and 18 and come from school districts throughout Saratoga County.

The court officer receives 18 hours of training and serves between three and 10 hours per month. The 175 high school age officers are trained by a variety of people, including District Attorney James A. Murphy III and several of his assistants. Defense attorneys, insurance agents, enforcement officers and drug experts are also involved in the training program.

Following their training, the new court officer is paired with experienced officers (also high school students) in actual sentencing hearings to gain experience before they begin to work on their own, according to a statement from the Prevention Council.

The Prevention Council wants to save the program and is accepting donations and contributions to keep it afloat in 2010. For more information, see www.preventioncouncil.org.

Donations may be made by contacting Ekman directory at 581-1230 ext. 13 or mailing checks to the Prevention Council, 36 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY  12866.

Reach Gazette reporter Lee Coleman at 587-1780 or at lcoleman@dailygazette.net.