SHARE:  
Contact Us: (800) 894-7201
Back from the Brink

Through judicial diversion and social support, a teen teetering on self-destruction makes an inspiring turnaround—and offers hope for others
By any measure, Justin (not his real name) is not someone you’d call lucky. At least not over the past few years. Having been raised in a loving, stable home with both parents and a sibling, the A student and baseball all-star’s life took a turn toward trouble at 14 when he was introduced to drugs by a friend. He soon found himself hooked and failing school, constantly fighting with his parents and graduating to heavier drug use.

And good fortune certainly was in short supply the day Justin, then 17, had a bad acid trip that resulted in a high-speed joy ride, a crashed car, and other felonies.

But Justin sees it differently. “I’m actually the luckiest dude ever,” he says.

He’s referring to his experience with PESA and Teen Court—and he genuinely means it. “PESA,” he says without a hint of hyperbole, “saved my life.”

Justin's story, while unique and excruciatingly personal for himself and his family, is like hundreds of others whose cases have been heard before a Teen Court jury of their teenaged peers and whose lives have been turned around by the program that gives youthful offenders a shot at redemption.

When Justin tells his story, it’s clear the young man has spent a lot of time reflecting on what happened, and how things went so wrong. As to the whys, he still hasn’t entirely figured that one out. Chalk it up to youthful rebellion, an addictive personality (“I loved getting high,” he readily admits) and a diagnosed case of bi-polar disorder. But one thing he has no doubts about whatsoever: “Being in jail was absolutely my rock bottom,” he says. “It was a horrible, horrible time.”

It was right then and there that his arresting officer offered him the opportunity to participate in Teen Court and get help from PESA rather than face the traditional justice system. Through PESA, Justin was assigned to a case worker and an unwavering support system. And through Teen Court, he got a chance to wipe the slate clean. “I was nervous,” he says, not about being found guilty, but about “being judged by other kids.” Interestingly, one of the conditions of diversion recommended by the students—for Justin to return to serve as a juror—had an especially significant and empowering impact.

“It was so great because it gave me a perspective on life. I saw how much the program helps
people. Talking with the different jurors, it made me not so afraid of what had happened with my own case. I had assumed they were in the jury room judging me and my story, but they’re just talking about the facts. If a person is found guilty, we’re just trying to help them find a path to make the right decisions and give them the resources that would best help them. Like, if someone needed a role model in their life, there was an option to give them a mentor, or a tutor in school. I really enjoyed it.”

It's that opportunity to help others that makes Teen Court so effective. "At the end of one case that I served on," Justin explains, "the judge recognized me and asked if I had anything to say. I told the defendant, who had said he was using Xanax and smoking weed, 'A few months ago, I was sitting in the exact spot you’re in now. Just stick with this program, it’s really changed my life.' I talked about my recovery and explained how the path I’m now is the best life I’ve ever lived, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. He said, 'thank you so much bro, I really appreciate it.' And that felt really good.”

The program has clearly had a positive effect on Justin. He’s now getting straight As again in school, he continues to attend Narcotics Anonymous classes, he’s applying to colleges for next fall—and he’s even gotten some offers to play baseball for various schools.

“It definitely set me on the best path I could be on right now,” he says. “I don’t know where my life would be without it. I would have four felonies. I wouldn’t have been able to get jobs,
probably not go to college, maybe end up homeless or something. It was like a new beginning in my life, and I would recommend it to anyone [in a similar circumstance]. I’m so thankful for the whole support system.”