Professor Elizabeth Cauffman, left, and Judge Maria Hernandez, right, congratulate the latest graduates of Young Adult Court. Photo by Han Parker
Latest graduates complete innovative program, felony free
As Gerardo, Jordan and Vicente became the 36th, 37th and 38th graduates of the Orange County Young Adult Court, they pleaded with their fellow participants to take the program seriously.
“My advice to the future graduates is to not fight the process. Please surrender and do not try to fight your destiny,” Jordan advised. “I highly suggest you not live the fast life because we know where that can lead us. Everyday is vital so make everyday the best day. All of us have a purpose so make a plan, set a schedule, go to school, learn something new because there are so many directions you can take, so follow a good one.”
Added Gerardo: “The program won’t work unless you want it to. If you want to change, the program has all the tools — from the therapist, UC Irvine, case managers and others. Take advantage of them, use them to move forward and attain the goals you want. Effort is key and it is going to move you. Nobody will do it for you. Keep in mind, change means many things, like trying new activities, hanging out with new people and removing yourself from old toxic environments.”
Vicente implored: “Please take guidance from your case managers and the other supportive members of this team, as they will help you work toward goals that may once have seemed out of reach.”
The three newly-minted graduates agreed that Young Adult Court turned their lives around, leaving them poised to pursue successful lives. That is the point of the 6-year-old program.
Young Adult Court is a collaborative court for felony offenders between the ages of 18 and 25. It was created through the efforts of Orange County Superior Court Judge Maria Hernandez; Elizabeth Cauffman, UCI professor of psychological science; Cauffman’s former postdoctoral student Zachary Rowan, who now is a faculty member at Simon Fraser University in Canada; the Orange County Probation Department; the Orange County Public Defender and Defense Bar; Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and the Orangewood Foundation.
One of the most consequential incentives of participating in Young Adult Court is the reduction of a felony charge to a misdemeanor or the complete dismissal of the felony charge when participants graduate from the program.
Gerardo, Jordan and Vicente had their charges dismissed.
“You are now felony free,” Judge Hernandez declared during the Nov. 19 graduation in court as she congratulated the young men and thanked the court’s partners and supporters.
“I look out and I see a testament to these three young men graduating today and the support they have,” Hernandez said. “There are people here from every walk of life, our stakeholders, our families, the sheriff's department, the district attorney’s office, Dr. Cauffman and our funders. I’m just so appreciative of everyone here. You are so important for us to be able to do this program.”
The graduate trio also thanked their supporters and cited their accomplishments as proof that the Young Adult Court works.
“I was a 20-year-old kid, hanging out with the wrong crowd, thinking there was only one way to make money without working a real job,” Gerardo recalled. “I wasn’t thinking about my future. I allowed my environment to slowly influence me to do things that I know did not bring real value to my life. All I brought and created was problems for myself and my family.”
Young Adult Court randomly selected Gerardo, as it does all its participants, and gave him years of support through a “youth action plan,” which laid out all the steps he had to complete such as attending all court hearings, meeting with probation officers and case managers, getting counseling and employment and education advice and following through. The goal is to address and prevent criminal behavior in the future.
“I came into Young Adult Court with no job,” Gerardo siad. “I was lucky enough to have family help me get into the Local 1036 painters’ union. If it was not for Young Adult Court being on me and pushing me weekly to be on top of my game, I wouldn’t have had the motivation to see my own potential. Today, I have a job as a union member, painting all over Southern California, making an honest living and contributing to my household and taking care of myself. I am also in a trade school to become a journeyman painter and grow in the union. The workshops that I was able to attend through Young Adult Court have been helpful with the life skills that are important to me today as opposed to when I first started the program. I want to thank everyone for their hard work — Lorenzo, Janet, Laura, Christine and Alex and UCI. You all have been so pivotal in my change. UCI who has always had our backs, and this courtroom, Judge Hernandez and Judge Clapp for your support, patience and the opportunity to be a part of this program. Thank you all so much.”
Jordan enrolled in barber school, got an apartment and applied for college during his time in the program.
“I was able to reflect on my actions and I was given another chance to grow in life instead of sitting in a cell,” he said. “Thank you for allowing me to shape my world and allowing me to be the best man I can possibly be.”
Vicente credited Young Adult Court for helping him set and achieve
The court, he said, “taught me how to manage my spending more effectively and guided me to stay on the right path, preventing me from falling back into trouble with the law. The support and guidance I received from the Young Adult Court team has been instrumental in my recovery, and I am incredibly thankful for their help. Given all their support, I am giving it back now in my new job as a peer navigator at Project Kinship where I help other young people who are making their transition from incarceration into the community.”
It’s not just about the graduates, the judge reminded those in court. “It’s about the folks in their lives, their family members, their children, the public that they are now a productive member of.”
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