ENTERTAINMENT

Out and About: Salem Teen Court

Mary Louise VanNatta

It's great to be in a room full of lawyers when you know it is for a charitable cause.

On Oct. 30, attorneys and their guests gathered at the Boys & Girls Club to raise money for Salem Teen Court. The diversion program focuses on young first-time offenders and includes peer involvement. It offers them a way to face their crimes and be held accountable for their behavior.

I arrived early and met Sarah Morris, Tracy Gregg and Jeff Carter. Nic Ramon, Mike Rose and Eric Cardella socialized in the back of the room.

I was encouraged to visit with the guest speaker, a student, Fatima Ramirez, who went through the teen court program.

Ramirez bravely told the attendees how she felt disenfranchised in school and got involved with a crowd that encouraged negative behavior. The opportunity to participate in teen court set her on the right path. She apologized to her mother and accepted the sanctions set by her peers. Sanctions usually include community service and apologies.

Today she regularly serves as a teen court juror and is now a college student at Chemeketa Community College. Kathleen Petry, Kari Roberts and Kaitlynn Chritton were there to support her.

The agenda was clear and focused. David Briggs, president of the Marion County Bar Association, discussed the importance of lawyers' participating in the program and how it is a savings to taxpayers.

Lindsay Partridge, a judge in Marion County Circuit Court, shared the effectiveness of the program that deals with young people who are generally involved in misdemeanors such as vandalism, shoplifting and disorderly conduct or curfew violations.

The Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties Executive Director Tim Sinatra talked about how this program is a platform for success and why they support the cause. The Boys & Girls Club administers the Salem Teen Court program which is funded by private donations.

Finally, attorney Lucas Reese called for guests to show their support by donating at least one billable hour.

The teen court program is a partnership among Marion County, Inns of Court, Boys & Girls Club and the Marion County Bar Association. To learn more about the program or to donate, contact Sue Bloom at (503) 581-7383, Ext. 32, or sbloom@bgc-salem.org.

Mary Louise VanNatta is the Out and About Columnist for the Statesman Journal. Invite her to your event at OutandAboutSJ@live.com.

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For more photos of this and previous events, see StatesmanJournal.com/OutAndAbout.