Youth Accountability Board revitalized

March 17, 2003 

Boundary County Prosecutor Jack Douglas met recently with leaders of the Boundary County Youth Accountability Board, which he helped create in 1980 while running for his first term as prosecutor, and announced that the program, which has been nearly dormant in recent years, is being revitalized.

“Having this board gives youth who are first offenders or commit petty crimes an opportunity to acknowledge their mistake, make amends appropriate to the crime they commit and avoid the stigma of going to court,” Douglas said. “It helps the offender, the offender’s family and it helps relieve the caseload in the courts.”

The Boundary County Youth Accountability Board is comprised of citizen volunteers, including high school students, working closely with law enforcement officers, city and county prosecutors and the Boundary County Probation office. When a juvenile offender 17 years of age or under pleads guilty to a crime and agrees to be bound by the decision of the board, the case is withdrawn from the court system and referred to the board. Board members are given details of the crime committed, and work each case individually to ensure the punishment fits the crime. The picture at left shows (l-r) Prosecutor Jack Douglas, probation officer Kevin McDonald, deputy prosecutor Sara Seaborg, program director Stephen Fendos, chief probation officer Jackie Bacon, and D.A.R.E. Officer Joel Minor.

While those who elect to go through the Youth Accountability Board rather than the courts avoid a juvenile record, they don’t go unpunished. In all cases, they’re required to formally apologies to the victims of their crime, and in most they’re required to write an essay demonstrating their understanding of why what they did was wrong. They can also be required to pay restitution or perform community service work; whatever the members of the board feel is necessary to show the offender the error of their ways.

Each case is treated with the utmost confidentiality, and compliance with board-ordered punishment is monitored by probation officer Kevin McDonald. If the offender doesn’t comply, the case is remanded to court.

Though it has been less than fully active, the program has achieved notable success. Of offenders ages seven to 17, program director Stephen Fendos said recidivism is low, and few cases have had to be referred back to the courts.

One of the keys to making the program work, Douglas said, is participation by the prosecutor, something that has been lacking under recent administrations.

“I’m not sure why this program wasn’t supported by my predecessors, but my office is committed to utilizing the program and to making it work,” he said. “This is a great program and a valuable tool. Our goal now is to work together to see that it is brought up to its full potential.”