This report relates the findings from the Evaluation of Teen Courts Project, which examined teen courts in Alaska, Arizona, Maryland and Missouri. The goal of the evaluation in each site was to assess the effect of the teen court process on the perceptions and behavior of youth defendants. Teen courts offer an alternative to juvenile court and formal prosecution. The teen courts' authority is informal as the courts act as part of a diversion agreement with the juvenile justice system. Young people are responsible for much of the process, from reviewing and arguing the charges to choosing the proper sentence. The various models of teen court include adult judge, youth judge, youth tribunal, and peer jury. Data was collected using questionnaires, police and court files, and interviews. The study compared the recidivism rates of teen court defendants to similar youth who went through the regular juvenile justice system. The data suggest that teen court may be preferable to the normal juvenile justice process in jurisdictions that cannot provide meaningful sanctions for young, first-time offenders. Also, teen court may be a particularly cost-effective alternative for some juvenile offenders. Finally, the most effective programs at reducing recidivism were those that gave youth more responsibility for the actual conduct of the court.