Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund Gives Menomonee Falls Teen Court Grant Award

June 18, 2007

The Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund has awarded the Menomonee Falls Teen Court with a $1,500 grant. 

The Menomonee Falls Teen Court was established in 1998 by the former Menomonee Falls Municipal Judge Michael Hurt. The court’s mission is to give teen offenders an alternative to the Menomonee Falls Municipal Court.  Utilizing the principles of restorative justice, the teen offender enters the court by admitting their guilt.  While local attorneys oversee the trial progress, the teenage jury decides the most appropriate sentence based on the factors present.  The program brings restoration to the victim and community while attempting to rehabilitate the teen offender.

“The Menomonee Falls Teen Court has proven results within their local community,” says Mary Sloane, a director with the Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund.  “Less than 10% of the teens participating in this program have become repeat offenders,” Sloane says.

“We are very happy that we have given assistance to the Menomonee Falls Teen Court,” said Scott Becker, Executive Director of the Becker Fund.  Due to a decrease in state and local funding, the Menomonee Falls Board of Trustees had to make several difficult funding cuts and the Menomonee Falls Teen Court was one of them.  “The Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund is committed to being a beacon for operating restorative justice programs within Waukesha County, Wisconsin,” says Becker.  “We understand that federal, state and local funding for programs like the Menomonee Falls Teen Court are being cut.  These are excellent programs that silently serve our local communities in many ways,” says Scott Becker.  

The Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund was founded by her family in March 2004 with the mission of creating an awareness of the principles of restorative justice within the community and identifying and supporting restorative justice programs that are operating in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.  Persons wishing to learn more about the Honorable Marianne E. Becker Fund are invited to view its website at www.beckerfund.org.