SELMA — Tommy Moore, 16, had a quick temper in school.

His anger and attitudes became so intense that Dallas County District Judge Bob Armstrong ordered Moore attend a 10-week class called Youth Opportunities, an alternative program designed to rehabilitate youths needing behavior modification.

Moore learned “how to be respectful and basically be good by behaving and controlling my attitude and listening,” he said.

He attended his last class Tuesday, and both he and his mother can tell a difference in his demeanor.

“I see a tremendous turn around,” said Cynthia Tutt, his mother. “I don’t think jail is the answer for kids. They need some reinforcement, some rehabilitation for the kids. I like the program. He has done a 180. He’s not that quick to get mad. He thinks before he reacts.”

Armstrong and Faith Whidden of the Central Alabama Adolescent Treatment Source partnered two years ago to help youths of Armstrong’s court change their behaviors.

Armstrong refers youths from his court to the programs for behavior modification, sending youths charged with non-violent crimes to Youth Opportunities and youth charged with shoplifting or theft of property to the STOP program.

These programs are an alternative to more intense situations such as boot camps.

“Along with recognizing that not every child needs to be put in that particular situation [boot camp], yet they need some kind of formal direction and guidance, that’s why we developed the program,” Whidden said.

Youths meet once a week at the Dallas County Courthouse for a 45-minute facilitated discussion and 15 minutes for questions or concerns participants want to share with Whidden.

The program costs nothing to the county because youths must pay the $75 to $100 fee a part of the penalty, an intentional decision by Armstrong and Whidden.

“The money side of it has an effect,” Armstrong said. “It’s part of changing the dynamics that got them there in the first place.”

Participants either pay the fee to gain accountability or parents pay the fee and hold the child accountable because the parent does not want to have to pay the fee for a second enrollment in the program.

Armstrong has seen improvements in the youths because the amount of participants who are repeat offenders is 12 percent, a low amount according to Armstrong.

“We’ve found it to be very effective and successful,” Armstrong said.