After nearly nine years, a program that has had 90 percent success rate in preventing repeat juvenile offenders is being eliminated because of budget cuts brought about by the loss of federal timber payments.

The Lebanon Peer Court operated on a grand jury model, with youths between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age acting as jurors. In exchange for admitting guilt to a misdemeanor violation, youthful offenders could avoid appearing in regular juvenile court. Instead, they would appear before a jury of their peers for sentencing.

Punishment ranged from having to attend an alcohol impact class for minor in possession of alcohol (MIP) to community service and always the requirement to serve on the Peer Court for at least one session, although many jurors voluntarily served on the court more. About 40 junior high and high school youth volunteered as jurors this year.

"The (peer) court gave kids an opportunity for public service and learning leadership skills," said Melanie Loree, Lebanon Peer Court assistant.

At the time of its last session on Aug. 13, the Lebanon Peer Court had handled 62 cases this year. In 2007, the caseload was 51. Loree said the increase this year was because the number of MIP citations had gone up.

All five Linn County Peer Courts are being closed effective Aug. 30.

Bill Jordan, supervising probation officer for community programs, said the elimination of federal timber dollar payments left Linn County with a $1.5 million deficit. The annual budget for the peer court was about $300,000, which included two full-time probation officers and 16 part-time assistants. All the assistant positions have been eliminated, but the two PO positions were not cut.

"There was no money to keep paying the part-time folks. Grants we were able to get in the beginning dwindled down to nothing," Jordan said. "An adult probation officer will do the same thing the peer court jurors did."

The Juvenile Department's intake system is being revamped to give more emphasis to identifying and working with high risk children who have a higher chance of getting in further trouble than young people who commit the type offenses seen by the peer courts.

"It's certainly unfortunate the peer courts are closing, but we're trying to stay optimistic," Jordan said.

Probation officers will still travel to communities to do intake interviews for young people who break the law, although families living in Sweet Home may have to travel to Lebanon to see a PO, Jordan said.