Sacramento Youth Peer Court Director - A Man Who Changes Lives
by Janan Raju

It's Thursday, 5:30 p.m., the Carol Miller Justice Center is quiet for the first time today. A lone Sheriff's Deputy waits by the metal detector for the inevitable 5:45pm onslaught of teenagers arriving to experience peer court. Department 81 will soon evolve into a buzzing array of eager young adults waiting for the opportunity to participate in this extremely popular youth court program. In just moments the courthouse will be abuzz with energetic young people, some of whom have spent the past ten days preparing to present the cases being heard this evening in court, and some who will sit as jurors of their peers in a courtroom full of interested spectators. "In order to see the peer court process clearly," says Amber Dias, peer court student coordinator from Sheldon High School, "it is important to arrive early. The courtroom is alive with the nervous energy of peer attorneys finalizing presentations, bailiffs readying the courtroom and jurors signing in to make sure they have a spot on one of the two juries for the evening."

At 6:30 p.m. sharp, the courtroom bailiff, who is a volunteer from one of the participating high school criminal justice academies, will call the courtroom to order. The program director, John Barris, will then explain the dynamics of the program to a roomful of eager onlookers. For people who are experiencing the procedure for the first time, John will discuss the similarities and differences between the "peer" courtroom and traditional courtrooms. After a brief introduction, it begins. "All rise," calls the bailiff, " the peer court of the county of Sacramento is now in session."

The Sacramento Youth Peer Court program began in the fall of 1997 as a pilot project at two Sacramento high schools. In less than four years it has grown to 25 high schools and community organizations making it one of the largest programs of its kind in the United States. The program focuses on strong policing, youth accountability and community-involved crime-prevention. The program is designed to empower youth to solve the problems they face within their own generation.

The program was inspired by the Honorable James I. Morris, of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, with the assistance of General Davies, superintendent of the San Juan Unified School District. Judge Morris and General Davies had a vision and a small grant earmarked to form a youth court program for Sacramento. They had a concept and some funding, what they needed now was a unique individual to develop a program that would fit the needs of the youth in Sacramento County. They searched for an individual, who possessed the skills and qualities to motivate and inspire young people, a person with an enthusiasm and passion to enable young adults to take part in their community and make a difference. In their search they found John Barris, a popular history teacher in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

John has been extremely successful since he began his teaching career almost thirty years ago. He has received the University of California Master Teacher Award, Optimist's Educator of the Year Award, and Cordova Community Council's Citizen of the Year Award, for his work with youth. John has also been selected as the teacher of the year, and most outstanding teacher repeatedly at every school where he has taught. John has also received recognition and commendations from the California State Senate and Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

At the time Judge Morris approached John about his plan, John had just returned from teaching on a sabbatical at Nevada Union High School in Grass Valley. While there, John was introduced to the peer court concept by Britt Randall, student body president at the time. She first met John as a student in his US History class and asked him to come and observe her presentation in a peer court proceeding where she was participating as an attorney. "Mr. Barris had an inspirational zeal that instantly caught the school's attention, we were glad that he was here and wanted him to be involved in all of our school activities," says Britt Randall. Coincidentally, upon returning to Sacramento, John was invited by Judge Morris and Superintendent Davies to take part in starting a youth court program in Sacramento.

At first John was reluctant to undertake this new project. He had just returned to Sacramento after being gone for a year, had the perfect teaching schedule and had just put together the conflict mediation program at Cordova High School. "I felt that peer court was a very good idea and it would be great for the kids as well as the community," says John. "After meeting Judge Morris and realizing the depth of commitment he had for the youth of Sacramento County, there was no way I could refuse." With the invaluable support of the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District's Superintendent and Board of Education that released him from two teaching periods, the Sacramento Youth Peer Court became a reality. John continues to teach history at Cordova High School while directing the Peer Court program.

John started researching various peer court programs across the nation and using his teacher's instinct he designed the Sacramento Youth Peer Court program. As Judge Morris puts it, "John is the 'heart and soul' of the Sacramento Youth Peer Court. His energy, enthusiasm and initiative are the principle reasons for the success and growth of the program. He loves kids and combines the best qualities of a teacher, counselor, probation officer, friend and even surrogate parent to so many young people, who benefit from their Peer Court experiences." John was able to design a program that reaches youth and uses peer pressure in a positive way to influence them to make positive life-changing decisions. The program not only combats juvenile crime, it also teaches civic responsibility to thousands of participants who volunteer as attorneys, clerks, bailiffs and jurors. In the four years that the program has been in service, the Sacramento Youth Peer Court has adjudicated over 240 cases with over 6,000 student volunteers while still maintaining a remarkable 93 per cent non-recidivism rate. "Because of John's dedication to the program, Sacramento can rightfully claim to have one of the best (and we think the best) youth court programs in the country," says Judge Morris.

Born and raised in Sacramento, John has been married for more than 30 years to his high school sweetheart, Debby. They have two grown children, Brandy and Sam and a beautiful granddaughter, Sarah Faith. Even with his busy family life, teaching schedule and serving as the director of this outstanding program, John still finds time to help with other causes. He and his friends have recently finished a two-year effort building a custom car "The Rose" as a tribute to John's late father. Sam Barris, along with his brother George, helped pioneer the custom car industry fifty years ago. The Barris Brothers shop in Southern California became the automotive trendsetter and a Mecca for Hollywood celebrities, such as Clark Gable, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Clint Eastwood to name a few. From the Batmobile, to the Dukes of Hazard's General Lee, Barris Customs has created many of Hollywood's famous custom cars. "The Rose" was built as a charity project to raise funds in Sam Barris' name for donations to children's cancer treatment, family assistance and public awareness programs. John's father passed away in 1967 after a three-year battle with cancer.

When asked what he feels is most important about the success of Peer Court, John replied,

"Peer Court is one of the few formalized programs in which teens can have a meaningful impact on their peers to improve their lives. Large numbers of young people learn the importance of the law, develop an appreciation of the legal system and our community is made safer. It is a win-win situation for everyone!"

[Editor note: John Barris is the recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, presented on Law Day 2001. The Liberty Bell Award honors a non-lawyer whose outstanding service to the community strengthens the American system of freedom under law. I'm sure that you will all agree the award is well deserved.]