A five-year pilot program to establish school-based "youth courts" can break the "school-to-prison pipeline," said two Democratic state senators on Oct. 18 announcing the initiative.

Youth courts are a diversion program where youth are tried by a jury of their peers for minor violations and offenses, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus. Participating young people learn and then implement the court process and emphasize conflict resolution and sanctions that address the violation while avoiding suspensions or police involvement.