How To Help Juvenile Criminals In The Upper Dublin School District

NORRISTOWN, PA -- The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office is looking for volunteers to serve on Youth Aid Panels. The Youth Aid Panel program is the District Attorney’s community-based restorative justice program for juvenile offenders who commit non-violent criminal offenses, they announced in a press release Tuesday.

While there are Youth Aid Panels in every school district in Montgomery County, including Upper Dublin, the highest priority needs are community members from these eight school district areas: Upper Moreland, Lower Moreland, Upper Merion, Lower Merion, Methacton, Norristown, North Penn, Springfield, and Souderton.

Juveniles (under the age of 18) who commit first-time criminal offenses meet with the panel to discuss their involvement with the police department.

The Youth Aid Panel is tasked with developing a resolution that provides consequences for the juvenile’s actions and thought-provoking assignments that empower them to make better decisions in the future. If the juvenile successfully completes the program, they do not receive a criminal record for the incident.

The certification training will be held at the Abington Township Public Safety Training Center, 2201 Florey Lane, Glenside PA 19038 on the following dates and time: Saturday, June 4: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Monday, June 6: 6:30 to 9 p.m.; and Monday, June 13: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. To complete the certification, volunteers must also participate in two Youth Aid Panel meetings.

Training is open to any eligible applicant living in Montgomery County who is at least 18 years old. Criminal history and child abuse checks must be completed on all applicants, at no charge to the applicant. For more information or to apply, contact Tom Haney at da.yap@montcopa.org or 610- 551-6628