What is Anchorage Youth Court?

Anchorage Youth Court (AYC) is a restorative justice diversionary program for youth under 18 who are accused of breaking the law to be judged by their peers.  Local youth in grades 7-12 take on the roles of attorneys, judges, bailiffs, and clerks. Anchorage Youth Court members develop and apply an understanding of the law through legal education, Anchorage Youth Court Bar Association membership, and actual participation in AYC court hearings. AYC is a highly beneficial program because defendants are afforded a chance, in a court hearing by trained local youth, to resolve their legal problems without receiving a formal juvenile record, to hold themselves accountable to the community, their peers, their family, and themselves, and the community receives valuable work service as redress for harm caused. 

To pass the bar exam and become a member of the Anchorage Youth Court, youth complete a class about basic legal principles and practices. The Anchorage Youth Court Bar Association meets monthly and members participate in activities designed to provide a broader perspective of the judicial system and restorative justice. Activities include workshops, mock sentencings, attorney shadowing, and guest speakers from the legal community.​

Who Benefits from AYC?

Benefits for our AYC Clients:

• A defendant/client is usually a first time offender. However, AYC does accept cases that are not the defendant/client's first offense. The Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice refers defendant/clients to AYC. If the defendant pleads no contest, they are sentenced at that time by youth judges. Upon successful completion of one's sentence, there is no formal record if the defendant/client does not break the law again. 
• At completion of the case, AYC will return its findings to the Referring Authority for final disposition. If the defendant/client successfully completes his or her sentence, the Referring Authority will close the case, leaving no formal indication of a criminal record on the part of the defendant. On the other hand, if the defendant/client fails to successfully complete a sentence or decides not to participate in AYC’s program, that information will be returned to the Referring Authority for further action.  Defendant/clients who go through AYC are less than half as likely to commit another offense as their peers who do not go through AYC.

​Benefits to our Community:

• Reduced youth recidivism:
  • 98% of referred clients successfully complete their sentences
  • 2024 DJJ data revealed that 79% of AYC-referred youth had not reoffended from the age of first offense through age 25.  
  • 2025 study by the McKinley Research Group reported that if AYC "prevents even one juvenile defendant from recidivating, the estimated net annual benefit is 298,200" to the community.
  • An adult with not juvenile record has an increased earnings potential of $164,200.
  • Youth members provided an estimated $201,300 worth of volunteer service

​Benefits for our AYC Members:

• ​​On-going education and social connections. To date in 2025, youth participated in 5,289 hours of non-court activities including training, classes, Bar Meetings, community engagement activities, and social gatherings.  That means that 83% of member engagement hours are in non-court activities!
• Leadership development:  Participation on the Executive Board, Board of Directors, and as lead attorneys and judges provides youth with invaluable mentoring and leadership exposure that many other activities would not be able or do not provide
• Public Speaking experience: 193 youth engaged in 973 hours of court activities, providing each of those members with active practice in public speaking. 
• Workforce development
• The hands-on court experience provides each youth member with practical applications of legal skills that prepare them for professional work after high school and exposure to legal practice to help them make long-term decisions about their future
• Youth Protective Factors - Research shows that the presence of certain protective factors contributes to the mental health of youth. AYC provides the following youth protective factors that are associated positive mental and physical health outcomes for youth short- and long-term:
  • Positive connections with peers
  • Caring adult community members
  • Access to educational opportunities and activities
• College/Post-secondary support
  • The hours of service you provide support college and scholarship applications
  • A study done by Forbes shared that 53% of college admissions officers agreed that community service experience can be a tie-breaker between students with similar backgrounds
  • AYC staff happily write letters of recommendation for engaged members of AYC

AYC Outside of the Courtroom

Do Anchorage Youth Court members only participate in the classroom and the courtroom?

No! AYC offers a variety of events and opportunities for members to get involved outside of court and in the community.

Every year AYC puts on our Gavel Games fundraiser and we encourage students to volunteer and participate. We also send AYC representatives to the annual United Youth Courts of Alaska conference. In the summer, we offer several camps and activities for members and non-members to participate in. From the Annual Youth Summit, to our Law and Leadership summer program, there is something for everyone. AYC recently launched a Dispute Resolution program, where members can receive training in the skill of Peer Mediation, and eventually hold real mediation cases for their peers. Check out the video below!

​We encourage our members to be active in both the courthouse and the community in order to be an engaged and versatile citizen.