POUNDING THE GAVEL AT TEEN COURT : PEERS RULE ON YOUTH CASES.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

Taking his chances in a court of peers, Edgar admitted fighting with the brother of a former girlfriend on the Rio Mesa High School campus and vowed to control his anger in future confrontations.

Edgar figured that his admission, a suspension from school and punishment at home were enough to gain the jury's favor. The 17-year-old was mistaken.

The jury of six students who heard the case in the Camarillo High School library Wednesday voted to have Edgar learn his lesson by sitting on two Teen Court jury panels, after school in November and December.

``I was expecting it to be a little more lenient,'' said Edgar, whose last name is not given to protect his identity as a juvenile offender. ``I accept it. It's a lot better than probation. I would have been labeled as a trouble maker.''

Jurors recommended more stringent sentencing terms for Hector, a 15-year-old Rio Mesa student, in the other case on Wednesday's calendar.

For fighting on campus and breaking curfew, Hector must attend three Saturday school sessions and write a letter of apology to Rio Mesa administrators - all within the next 30 days.

Presiding was Commissioner Manuel Covarrubias. He found both sentences ``constructive'' under the terms of Teen Court and ended the first session of the Camarillo court.

Ventura County's experiment with Teen Court began a year ago in an effort to send a message to first-time, mostly nonviolent juvenile offenders by deciding their punishment.

Following Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and several other California counties, the first court was set up at Oxnard High School so teen-agers can decide how seriously to punish crimes such as petty theft, acts of vandalism or fights on campus. Sentences are limited to performing community service, paying restitution, writing essays and serving on as many as four future Teen Court jury panels.

Offenders must admit wrongdoing. If they complete terms of sentencing, they remain free of juvenile probation and offenses never appear on criminal records.

``It helps kids who have started to get into trouble by helping them turn their lives around, and it also helps other kids see themselves as part of the solution to youth crime,'' said Tina Rasnow, a Westlake Village attorney who helped organize Teen Court. ``It acts as a deterrent.''

The court's impact on youth crime can't be known for several years, but results from the first year are encouraging to Nancy Pierce, supervisor of Youth Services within the county's Corrections Services Agency.

Of the 17 youth offenders referred to the Oxnard court during the 1995-96 school year, eight completed sentences and have not committed additional juvenile crimes.

``That's really pretty good when you're talking about kids in the juvenile justice system,'' Pierce said.

Results were mixed for the remaining nine sent to Teen Court last school year. Two completed Teen Court sentences and then committed another juvenile crime that resulted in probation supervision. As for those who never completed Teen Court, four completed probation and three are still working with a probation officer, Pierce said.

``This is sort of an early intervention,'' she said. ``It's one step beyond prevention because they've already committed a crime. Our goal is to keep the children out of the system and formal probation.''

With more than 11,000 boys and girls in the county's Youth Services system annually, Teen Court clearly is limited to those never in the system before who commit mostly nonviolent misdemeanor offenses.

Students who have participated so far said they appreciate the impact they might make, explaining that judges don't have the experience of what teen-agers think and feel about such offenses.

``We understand what they're going through. I could see at times where it could be me sitting there,'' said Ramiro Lopez, who participated in six Oxnard court sessions before graduating in June.

Lopez recalled serving as a bailiff for a case involving a friend. ``Afterwards, he was telling me he felt better than going to a real court. We were all telling him you had to change your ways.''

Teen Court is equally important in getting youths involved in the court system as participants and not just as offenders.

While a judge or court commissioner presides at proceedings, students serve as attorneys, bailiffs and clerks, as well as the jurors.

Camarillo High students began planning and rehearsing in the spring semester for the first session this past week. They are enrolled in the school's senior-level criminal justice class, for students interested in careers as attorneys, police officers and related fields.

Jennifer Gorospe prosecuted both cases. She was more keen on the process sending a message that the system was fair than winning over the jury.

``I think it works. Now there's a chance where people who have been through it, that sends a message. They know it's fair,'' she explained.

As the defense attorney, Shannon Allyn sought fair sentence terms. She said the results of both cases were fair and hopefully will make an impression on the offenders.

``This gives them the chance to do something right. If it's somebody my age, they're going to be taking it more seriously,'' she contended.

Edgar said he was satisfied with the process and doesn't regret his decision to leave his fate in the hands of teen-age peers. ``It's an excellent idea. I jumped at it right away.''

The state Education Code allows school districts to join Juvenile Courts and county probation agencies in operating Teen Courts.

The Ventura County program has been limited so far by a lack of funding to pay for even a part-time coordinator to help establish more courts. The Oxnard and Camarillo courts are limited to offenders within the Oxnard Union High School District.

Simi Valley and Newbury Park high school officials have shown interest, as well as the Las Virgenes Unified School District in neighboring Los Angeles County.

``It keeps going with the work of the volunteers, but it cannot expand much further,'' Rasnow said.

The group Women Lawyers of Ventura County was turned down this year after requesting $5,000 from the California Bar Foundation. Rasnow said a part-time coordinator could be more successful in seeking grant funding.

Having served as a volunteer judge, Rasnow said Teen Court's role in preventing juvenile crime is a strong enough sales pitch.

``The early intervention is the best way,'' she said. ``It's a lot harder to turn kids around once they've been in the juvenile justice system, once they've gone through that revolving door several times.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--ran in SIMI edition only) Student jurors deli berate in an empty office as ``bailiff'' Jason Gaona waits outside in a session of Teen Court in Camarillo.

(2--ran in CONEJO only) Prosecutors Jennifer Gorospe and Geoff DeCesari listen as the defense presents its case during Camarillo's Teen Court.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News