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Murrieta honors Corporal Matt Mazingo and highlights youth court peer‑diversion program
Summary
Murrieta officials recognized Corporal Matt Mazingo for his work bringing back the Southwest Valley Youth Court and its restorative‑justice model; staff and the corporal outlined program goals, volunteer roles and recent case counts; a local child presented a $1,300 donation to the library expansion.
Murrieta City Council on Sept. 2 recognized Corporal Matt Mazingo of the Murrieta Police Department for his role in re‑establishing the Southwest Valley Youth Court, a peer‑led diversion program that offers teens restorative‑justice alternatives to juvenile formal processing.
Corporal Mazingo described the program’s mission and structure: student volunteers serve as defense and prosecuting attorneys, jurors and bailiffs in a courtroom setting at the Southwest Justice Center; adult mentors and attorney mentors support student volunteers; the program focuses on community service, restorative assignments, educational workshops and victim‑awareness training rather than punishment.
Mazingo and staff provided program statistics: he said the program is approximately 19 years old, was suspended during the COVID period and was restarted in 2023; in a recent fiscal period he cited 63 cases involving 68 minors and listed volunteer counts (multiple adult and officer volunteers and 10 youth court sessions in a reported period). Council members and staff thanked Mazingo, praised his community engagement and noted this is his last week before retirement.
Earlier in the meeting, the council acknowledged a donation to the children’s library: 6‑year‑old Emma Warren Oreck and her father, Kyle Warren, presented a lemonade‑stand donation the city reported as $1,300. City staff said the library expansion groundbreaking will be rescheduled and invited the public to attend the planned events.
Why it matters: The youth court offers a community‑based, peer‑led restorative alternative for first‑time juvenile offenders and provides civic and professional development opportunities for teens. The city’s recognition underscores the role of local law‑enforcement officers and volunteers in running diversion programs that aim to reduce formal criminal processing for juveniles.
Next steps: Staff encouraged residents to attend upcoming library and city events and said they will continue supporting the youth court program and volunteer recruitment.
