April 30, 1999
Prepared for Board of Directors of Teen Court of Chaves County Inc.
by James Kisselburg
Executive Director
Table of Contents
April 20, 1999 (Roswell)
April 22, 1999 (Dexter)
Total Stats for April 1999
Total Stats Year to date
TCCC Board Meeting April 27, 1999
Teen Court was held for the first time in Dexter, on April 22, 1999. Three (3) of the four (4) traffic citations were referred from Dexter Municipal Court were heard. The 4th case was heard in Roswell, on April 20th . Demographics and dispositions on the Dexter cases will be described on page 2.
Twelve cases were referred to Teen Court in April ( in Roswell), Three of these cases were referred back to the JPPO as follows:
Judge Dan Thomas (Dexter Municipal Court) presided, in one court room and the Executive Director, James Kisselburg, presided for Bill Finley, who was scheduled, but could not attend.
Charges:
Allowing Self to be Served X2
Daytime Curfew X2
Average Age: 15.6
Average Grade level: 9.4
Average GPA 1.45
Total Hours Sentenced: 220
Average sentence: 73.3
Average Jury Terms: 4.5
Judge Dan Thomas and Magistrate Judge Eugene De Los Santos presided on two cases each.
Charges:
Possession of Marijuana < 1 oz. X1
Allowing Self to be Served X1
Speeding X1
Daytime Curfew X1
Average age: 15.2
Average Grade Level:9.3
Average GPA 2.77
Total Hours Sentenced:458
Average Sentence: 114.5
Average Jury Terms:6.5
Judge Dan Thomas Presided, cases were defended and prosecuted entirely by teens from the Dexter Jr. and High Schools. (Note: All Traffic Citations were required to attend and complete a Defensive Driving Course)
Charges:
Speeding x1
Seatbelt Violation x1
No Drivers License x1
Insurance Required x1
Headlights Required x1
Average Age: 16.3
Average Grade Level: 9.3
Average GPA: 3.5
Total Hours Sentenced: 76
Average Hrs. Sentenced: 25.33
Average Jury Terms: 4
Total cases referred:
JPPO x 7
Roswell Municipal Court x 3
Dexter Municipal Court x 4
Total Traffic Citations Heard: 6
Total Cases Referred Back: 3 (described above)
Average Age: 15.5
Average Grade Level: 9.3
Average GPA 2.32
Total Hours Sentenced: 794
Average Sentence: 72
Total Cases Referred from April 1998 to April 1999: 160
Total Cases Referred back to originating agency: 49
Average Age: 15. 3
Average Grade Level: 9.5
Average GPA: 2.31
Total Hours Sentenced: 8029
Average Sentence: 56.9
Total Hours Served to date: 4681
Average # hrs Served to date: 49.8
Average Jury Terms: 4
Three (3) separate training sessions were held in April, the first was on April 13, in Magistrate Court. Nine (9) students from the Dexter area attended along with four Roswell students. Bill Finley ( Atwood Malone Sabin and Turner) provided the training, which consisted of a continuation of a four week curriculum that was started last month.
The next training session was held in Dexter at the Dexter Town Hall on April 21, 1999. Two (2) Roswell Teen Attorneys and the Executive Director assisted the Dexter Teens in preparing for the cases scheduled for April 22. As well as practicing a mock trial.
The third training session was held on April 27, 199 in Magistrate Court. Four students were in attendance. The Executive Director, presided over a mock trial in preparation for Law Day April 30, 1999. Assignments were made for the various High Schools. Due to the fact that Goddard High could not do a mock trial one of the GHS students agreed to go to Roswell High and assist with the Law Day activities.
Law Day 1999 was held in all three High Schools. Mock trials were conducted at Roswell(with Teen Court Attorneys) and University High Schools (with UHS students). Goddard High had two separate Q&A sessions, with an NM Appeals Court Justice, District Judge, Assistant District Attorney, Public Defender, private attorney, were in attendance at each school and participated in a Q&A with the students. All participating students and their advisors were invited to lunch and the Sally Port Inn. Judge Bosson on the NMCA was the Key-note speaker. For a more complete itinerary, please refer to minutes from TCCC Board meeting dated April 27, 1999.
TCCC Board Meeting April 27, 1999:
MINUTES
Call to order: Barbara Reddy
Members present:
Troy Grant
Judge Dan Thomas
Frank Coggins
Tom Hawkins
Sheryl Saavedra
Bill Finley (Guest)
Barbara Reddy
Judge Gene DeLosSantos (Guest)
Judge Bobby Corn
Doug Sutherland - no call
Nancy Harvey called in sick @ 11:30 am
Karen Rogers, had Altrusa Board meeting (Party on the Pecos)
Approval of Minutes: Frank Coggins moved to approve, 2nd Troy Grant
Treasurer's report (hand out): Frank Coggins moved to approve, 2nd Tom Hawkins
New Board Members: President Reddy reminded the membership that three slots needed to be filled, and requested nominations to fill them. Jim stated that he had sent an e-mail to Genanne Anderson at the D.A.’s office and has not received a response as of this that date. President Reddy stated that she would ask Allan Griffith on Friday about assigning someone from there office to sit on the Board.
Laptop purchase: Approval for purchase of a laptop computer for $1650.00 from Computer Systems and Software was received.
Law Day: President Reddy discussed the upcoming Law Day activities at the three local high schools. She said that Goddard High did not have a large enough room available to have 2 or 3 classes together and therefor there would be 2 separate Q&A sessions with an Appeals Court Justice, a local Judge, D.A. P.D. and practicing attorney at 9:25 am and 10:25 am.
Roswell High would be having a mock trial with Teen Court attorneys, starting at about 10:00 am to 10:30 am and then a Q&A also with an Appeals Court Justice, a local Judge, D.A. P.D. and practicing attorney from 10:30 to about 11:00 AM., all current participating Teen Court Attorneys were invited to lunch at the Sally Port Inn from 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM, then they will be invited to observe The New Mexico Court of Appeals hearings at the Federal Building starting at 1:30 PM.
University High School will also have a mock trial presented by members of Pablo Martinez’ Street Law Class, along with an Appeals Court Justice, a local Judge, D.A. P.D. and practicing attorney at 9:25 am and 10:25 am. (NOTE: Judge Thomas was offered an invitation by Barbara Reddy, to bring some of his Kops for Kids /Teen Court students to lunch and the NM Court of Appeals hearings.)
Executive Director's Report:
(please refer to Executive Directors Report below)
Continuing . . . President Reddy suggested that a meeting be set up in early May with herself, Judge Chip Johnson, Chief JPPO Sam Thoreson, Chuck Dawe and Jim, to re-visit the original mission of Teen Court being a First Offenders Program, and see if we need to revise our mission or the JPPO will reconsider the process and start using Teen Court for first offenders.
Jim also discussed that he was going to review the current charging grid by talking to the current Teen Court jury pool and the teen attorneys to possibly consider lowering the minimum and maximum levels to be more in line with most of the other Teen Courts in the State. Curry County is the only Teen Court with the same min-max charging grid as Chaves County. Meeting adjourned.
Teen Court Conference:
I attended the Teen Court Conference in Albuquerque on April 8-10. Some good information was exchanged. I, along with Lloyd Mahaffee from Lea County Teen Court, conducted a Defense Attorney training. And other than a problem with some teen court participants bringing alcohol(and other substances) to the conference, very difficult situation, that was ultimately resolved, by having the offending teens apologized to the rest of their peers and return home. Most of the students had a very good time.
Dexter Teen Court:
The first Teen Court in Dexter, which turned out very successful. Three traffic citations, Prosecuted and Defended by Dexter Kop’s and Kids students from Dexter Jr. High. Judge Thomas also commented on the teen attorney’s proficiency, and the reception of the sentences by the defendants and their parents, was very well received. Judge Thomas commented that two of the defendants were from families who were very well respected Dexter community leaders, and word will be spreading that Community Service will start on May 1, in Dexter and will continue on every Saturday thereafter. Note. All traffic violations have a mandatory attendance ( and completion) in Defensive Driving course, in Roswell. (Paid for by the defendant)
Case Referrals from JPPO:
Teen Court has not been receiving many referrals from the Juvenile Probation and Parole Office lately, and related a recent conversation with JPPO Chuck Dawe, concerning the maximum hours on the charging grid. Mr. Dawe said that he personally had a hard time referring cases to Teen Court for small amounts of Marijuana (1 roach) when they could get from 80-150 hours of community service, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia could get a child 32-80 hours of community service. Over the past several months several cases that were referred to Teen Court from the JPPO were 2nd , 3rd + offenders. There are no new cases for next month as of April 30, 1999.
A laptop computer was purchased from Computer Systems and Software, it was set up and cloned to work in conjunction with the database in the current computer system.
(financial report was distributed at the April 27th meeting, please call if you did not get one)
Respectfully submitted
James Kisselburg, Executive Director