You’re never too young to plan for your future and now some district students can add a career in the justice system to their options.
Since fall, representatives from the Albany County District Attorney’s Office have been working in partnership with fifth graders at Albany School of Humanities, Montessori Magnet School, Pine Hills Elementary School and Sheridan Preparatory Academy to introduce students to the legal process – including the importance of diversion programs and community outreach.
The initiative aims to build trust and establish pathways to justice in our community while also teaching students about the law and civic responsibility, which will grow a new generation of judges, attorneys, police offices and support professionals to protect and advocate in Albany County.
The 35-week program, led by 46 district attorney office staff members, allowed students to participate in skits and mock trials (photos from MMS and PHES), taking on various roles to explore the judicial process with peers in their buildings and then all four schools met at the Albany County Judicial Center on Tuesday for a closing ceremony and tour.
Legal Lives was founded in 1990 by Charles J. Hynes, the District Attorney of Kings County, in response to the rising incidence of drug-related and bias-related crimes. Former Albany County District Attorney Sol Greenberg established an off-shoot of the program locally in the early 1990s, but the program fell dormant in recent years. Thank you to District Attorney Lee Kindlon, and his staff, for restoring the program in our district.
For more information, check out this news story from November when the program started.