Director of Special Projects
Queens Defenders
Kirlyn H. Joseph, Esq., Director of Special Projects at Queens Defenders.
Areas of Specialty: Criminal Law, Juvenile Justice, Family Law. Director of Queens Defenders Youth Justice Practice in the Family Court of Queens County, New York and Youth Justice Court programs.
Queens Defenders is a Public Defender’s office that has developed youth and community programs utilizing Restorative Justice principles. Youth Justice Courts (YJC) are offered at four branches of the Queens Public Library and local High Schools and Middle Schools. In our YJC program young people learn about the Criminal, Juvenile, and Family Court systems. They develop critical thinking skills as we discuss and analyze current events. Our participants are trained to play all the roles you will find in an actual Court. They are the advocates, the bailff, court clerk and the jury. Our youth showcase their skills during Mock trials that are fun and engaging. In our Far Rockaway branch our YJC participants hear real cases referred to the Court by the local police precinct. The youth juries come up with solutions based on restorative justice principles for school and criminal infractions. The youth who are referred to YJC learn about the consequences of their choices, the impact to the community and are afforded an opportunity make amends. The solutions are designed to help the young people. The Rockaway Community Justice Center hosts Queens Defender’s Community Court where adults with misdemeanor offenses are referred by the Queens County District Attorney’s office. If the participant agrees to the Community Court’s restorative solutions the case is withdrawn and never filed in Court.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Sunday, June 26, 2022
2:30pm – 3:30pm