Think for a moment about a courthouse, any courthouse. Likely, you envision large pillars that impose a sense of finality, huge structures topped with statues representing truth and justice – their strong gaze pushing you deep into mixed feelings of inferiority and awe. Once inside, the lack of windows and walls made of thick stone blocks make getting out feel a lot harder than getting in.

Matched only by the religious pulpit and perhaps the Oval Office, the judges' bench and the American courthouse are the ultimate embodiments of authority. As the punishment should fit the crime, so too should the architecture fit the purpose.

However, in Clayton County, Georgia, one very progressive chief judge doesn't believe those principles should be placed at the forefront of the juvenile court system. Rather, the handing down of sentences should be the last line of defense on a path filled with redemption. Less effort should be made on labeling children as "criminals" and more should be put towards surrounding them with new situations that foster good choices and success.

When the Honorable Steven C. Teske, Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court of Clayton County, came to me with a clear architectural vision to support these principles of restorative juvenile justice, inspired by the Annie E. Casey Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative, I knew I was about to be a part of something special. Something that might just impact and define the future of juvenile justice architecture.

The Importance of Restorative Justice

Juvenile arrests are down over 60 percent in Clayton County due to Judge Steven Teske's restorative programs, which emphasize repairing the harm revealed through criminal behavior. Best accomplished through cooperative processes, restorative justice requires community volunteers with the constitution to understand a child's individual situation.

These teachers, ministers, and even grocery store clerks are able to spend the necessary time to understand the situations that led to a single, potentially damning, decision. Armed with this situational knowledge, they're able to suggest rehabilitative recommendations that a judge simply doesn't have the time to consider at the individual level.

The architecture of the Clayton County Juvenile Courthouse, designed while I was at KSGW Architects, plays a huge role in supporting this program.

The Architecture of the Clayton County Juvenile Courthouse

Reimagined and designed based upon the restorative principles advanced by Judge Teske over the last 10 years, the Clayton County Juvenile Courthouse is a campus addition that neighbors Clayton County's criminal courthouse. A transparent space filled with warm sunlight and crisp garden views that reduce stress, the juvenile courthouse is now perceived as a place to go for assistance and not a place to avoid. It's a courthouse designed to serve as a hospital for troubled youth, abused and neglected children, and families in need of services.

Completed in 2012, the new 72,000-square-foot building enhances the delivery of restorative justice both practically and emotionally. Designed to resemble a corporate office building, the floor-to-ceiling windows and sharp metal accents favor the innovative and successful look of a major business. An open staircase sits caddy corner to a receptionist's desk, and the ground floor is riddled with benches and meeting rooms that nurture interaction between staff, case workers, children, and their volunteers.

The second floor, reserved for the court's fulltime employees, lacks privacy by design. Low-walled cubicles not only promote discussion among professionals but also encourage workers to be out in the field or working with children and their families on the first floor.

The courtrooms on the upper floors barely resemble the grand, imposing benches of criminal courthouses. Rather, the bench is raised just enough to create a sense of authority, while straight lines and simple finishes preserve the solution-oriented themes of the lower levels.

Symbolic Not For Its Architecture Alone, But How the Architecture Supports a Progressive Program

A colleague once told me that there are points in time when a building takes a leap forward and pushes the boundaries of architectural purpose. I truly believe that this courthouse represents one of those times, not because of a grand design but rather how it's 100 percent focused on supporting the goal of the entire juvenile justice system of Clayton County, Georgia.

The Clayton County Juvenile Court was designed by Rick Davidson while with KSGW Architects.