First Impressions Program
First Impressions Program
Modeled after the Los Angeles Municipal Court’s award-winning program of the same name, efforts are focused primarily on students who are from neighborhoods in Stanislaus County where negative impressions about the justice system are often developed early in life.
The goals are to give these students access to quality orientation about the justice system, to develop positive impressions about that system, and provide them with an understanding of nonviolent dispute resolution.
A team consisting of a judge, prosecutor, and the defense attorney is assigned to each participating 5 th grade class. The team teaches one class session per week for five to seven weeks. These class sessions involve age and grade-level appropriate lessons designed to provide the students with a basic understanding of the three branches of government, their rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments, and the workings of the justice system. The highlight of the program is a mock trial done by each class in a courtroom at the Superior Court. The trial involves the trial of the Big Bad Wolf for the “homicide” of two of the three Pig Brothers. After their mock trial, the students are treated to First Impression Certificates and “Goodie Bags”.
If you are interested in having your class participate, please email Judge Sandhu at sonny.sandhu@stanct.org .
