Grads pledge to stay clean
CARMEL – The historic Putnam County Courthouse in Carmel was filled to the rafters Wednesday evening when 52 young people from throughout the region took their oaths of office and became the 31st anniversary graduates of Putnam County Youth Court.
For the first time in three decades, Barbara Reitz was not at the helm of the youth court ship having retired earlier this year.
The court’s new co-directors are Dana Foley and Casandra Ricci.
When Putnam County Youth Court was founded less than 50 existed nationwide. Today more than 1,600 youth courts exist from Maine to California with more than 200,000 active members.
Locally, youth court is funded by Putnam County and the State Office of Children and Families and allows young people charged with violations and misdemeanors to appear before their peers.
Since its inception in Putnam County, 1,350 students have become members of youth court handling some 575 cases that allow defendants to own up to their actions and avoid having a criminal record.
