Buies Creek–Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law was recognized for its Juvenile Justice Mediation program. Law Professor Jon Powell, coordinator of the program, accepted an award Friday, Dec. 14, on behalf of the Law School from Linda Hayes, chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission of North Carolina.”It’s really an honor to present this award to Jon Powell and Campbell’s Juvenile Justice Project,” Hayes said. “Only six awards are presented to programs supported by the Governor’s Crime Commission every three years. The competition is intense. The success of this program and its impact on the community is a credit to Campbell.”Established in 2003 with a grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission, the Juvenile Justice program is a clinical mediation program serving Harnett, Lee and Johnston counties. Juvenile criminal cases from the local district, District 11, are referred by the District Attorney’s Office or the juvenile’s defense attorney when it is determined that a case can be mediated without prosecution. The most typical crimes mediated through the program are assault and property crimes.”Mediation puts the victim in a position to participate in their own case and let the offender know how they’ve been hurt. It gives the offender the opportunity to take responsibility for what they’ve done and then do something positive to make the other side as whole as they can,” Powell said.Second and third year law students have the opportunity to participate in the Juvenile Justice Mediation program. They can elect to take the Juvenile Justice course and work as co-mediators in the program when the classroom portion of the course is completed.”The Juvenile Justice Mediation program benefits our students by allowing them to get involved in real-life legal work,” said Powell. “Mediation is a little bit unique from other programs in that you don’t undertake representation of clients, but you do get to learn and practice vital skills such as interviewing clients, identifying issues and the ability to prepare adverse parties to come to the table to work out a solution.” At the present time, Campbell is the only law school in the state offering a juvenile justice mediation program for criminal cases.”When I was first trying to decide whether I wanted to come up to North Carolina or even put my name in the hat for the dean’s position, I looked at the Campbell Web site and one of the first things that drew my heart and attention was this program,” said Melissa Essary, dean of School of Law. “After I got here and talked to Jon Powell and saw his enthusiasm and passion for this program, I realized how very special it is in the life of our law school.”Two Campbell Law graduates, in Edenton and Wilmington, have implemented similar restorative justice programs for juveniles in their own communities.Photo Copy: Linda Hayes presents an award for Campbell University’s Juvenile Justice Project to Professor Jon Powell.
Campbell law program recognized by state