An Examination of Youth Courts in Chester, Pennsylvania

From 2009 through 2012, the Stoneleigh Foundation supported the creation and operation of youth courts in Chester Upland School District (CUSD) through the work of Stoneleigh Fellow Gregg Volz. In 2011, the Foundation commissioned Research for Action (RFA) to conduct a study of CUSD youth courts during the 2011-12 school year. While most of the research on youth courts has been concerned with outcomes for offenders, this mixed-methods study expands upon a handful of studies that explore the benefits of youth courts for the students who serve in court roles.