In 1993, five women in Vermilion County — all attorneys — sat down and came up with a plan to help young people who’d broken the law to get back on track and avoid a criminal record.
“Without any evidence, they understood the value and effectiveness of a diversion program,” Katie Osterbur said. “And the community bought in.”
Today, Osterbur is the executive director of Peer Court — an early intervention program in Danville that aims to provide a means for youth offenders to accept responsibility for their actions and change their behaviors before it’s too late.
The idea behind Peer Court is deceptively simple: give young people a sense of belonging in their community and they will feel responsible for how their actions impact that community. To that end, Peer Court operates by giving teens — most of whom are first-time offenders — alternative consequences for their actions, all aimed at helping them to develop a sense of personal and community responsibility.
Teens assigned to Peer Court are tried by a jury of teen volunteers, their peers, who issue sentences that could involve a combination of community service work, jury duty for another peer, the creation of a vision board or a written apology or letter, financial restitution where applicable, court fees, and weekly check-ins with Peer Court staff.
“The thought process behind our sentencing parameters is to reinvest these kids in the community. If they feel valued and accepted in their community, they are more likely to make choices that better the community,” Osterbur told the Commercial-News.
Peer Court operates thanks to an agreement with the Vermilion County juvenile court system, Danville Police Department, and various municipal courts that will drop charges for any teen who completes their Peer Court diversion contract — a 90-day program.
Teens who are sentenced to community service will participate in different ways to improve their community, including cleaning up litter with Keep Vermilion County Beautiful, marching in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration March, and cleaning The Dwelling Place once a week, to name a few.
Teens sentenced to community service must complete between seven and 12 hours, and they won’t be doing it alone. Osterbur and her staff are committed to working alongside them to teach them and model positive behaviors for them.
“Every Wednesday, I take the kids to volunteer at the Douglas Discovery Garden and so they get to learn how to garden,” Osterbur said. “We get hot. We do really hard labor sometimes out there.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, Osterbur says Peer Court lost 95% of their community-based programming, meaning she had to come up with other ways teens could participate in the program. That’s when she came up with family-based service.
“We looked at what systems our kids are involved in, and right then it was their families, so we decided we’re going to make them do work with families,” she said.
Under the family service model, teens could earn service hours by helping out around the house, whether by doing chores or helping with projects around the house, or even helping younger siblings with homework.
“Initially, I thought the parents might lie, but they haven’t. They see the value, and the feedback we’ve received is that the teens see the value they are adding, too,” Osterbur said, adding that the only requirement they have is whether their guardians find the service helpful.
Those who are sentenced to provide family service activities must serve 24 to 45 hours.
The program seems to be working. Each year, between eight and 100 youth offenders take part in the program, and 95% complete their sentences and are successfully able to avoid a criminal record.
In 2015, the University of Illinois ran a study that determined that 86% of those who completed their Peer Court contracts had avoided second offenses, Osterbur said.
Peer Court Auction
Each year, Peer Court holds an auction at Turtle Run Banquet Center. It’s the group’s only fundraiser, but it covers sometimes 50% of their annual operating costs.
Though Osterbur said she is thankful for anything, the auctions the past few years have exceeded her expectations by bringing in upwards of $50,000.
The Peer Court Auction began 25 years ago as an art auction when one artist from New York City auctioned off his art pieces and donated the proceeds to Peer Court. In subsequent years, the Danville Art League would donate art pieces for the auction.
Some years ago, Paul Sermersheim came to Osterbur and suggested there could be a better way of doing things. Attorney Liya Hussman Rogers joined forces with the team around then, too, and they began asking the community for donations that could be auctioned off.
This year, more than 300 local businesses, organizations, and people have donated their goods, talents, and services to the auction.
“It has just grown into this amazing community event where the community donates talents or services to us, and then we invite the entire community and our donors to come and see Paul and Tom Wagner put on a hilarious auction,” Osterbur said. “It’s just a great example of how this community pulls together to support a really good program that has really good outcomes.”
The Peer Court Auction will take place at 7 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 7, at the Turtle Run Banquet Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and appetizers will be provided.
Those interested in donating an item can call 217-443-9044.
“It’s never too late to donate to the Peer Court Auction!” Osterbur said.