The Cuba Township board of trustees has agreed to participate in a Barrington Unit School District 220 peer jury program.
The program, coordinated by the juvenile division of the Barrington-Inverness Police Department and the Volunteer Center of Barrington, provides an alternative to the court system for juvenile offenders.
Township officials will help administer and supervise a peer jury of six to eight high school students and a moderator from the Volunteer Center. The moderator will determine whether the severity of the crime fits the program.
Township Supervisor David Nelson said, “Once an offender has been sentenced to perform community service, the township would be contacted.”
“Although I am for this program, my concern is we really don’t have people to supervise these kids. And I don’t know what role they would play,” said Trustee Richard Kosner.
The board agreed that offenders could be “sentenced” to pick up trash along Cuba Road, to help with maintenance at White Memorial Cemetery and to help at the township’s food pantry.
