PROVIDENCE — The Barrington teenagers trooped into court, one after another. A few had braces on their teeth. Some wore blue blazers with gold buttons. Many brought lawyers. All were accompanied by anxious parents.

In all, nine Barrington teens appeared before Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. yesterday as part of the court’s juvenile alcohol and drug calendar, which Jeremiah began last year in response to the deaths of Barrington teenagers in events linked to alcohol.

“Unfortunately, you had four deaths in the last few years,” Jeremiah said in a reminder he repeated to the Barrington teens. And all four teens had come before him in Family Court before they died, he said. “I failed. If I succeeded they would still be with us.”

In 2007, Jeremiah asked police chiefs to refer teen drinking and drug cases to Family Court rather than to local juvenile hearings boards, and yesterday showed underage drinking remains an issue in Barrington, among other places.

“There’s been a lot of attention to this, but still alcohol parties continue,” said Kevin P. Richard, Family Court’s director of juvenile services and specialty courts. “So somewhere the message has not permeated the adolescent culture.”

In November, Jeremiah said it was an “utter shame” that parents in Barrington “don’t take responsibility” for underage drinking in their community. But yesterday, he noted Barrington parents have formed a group to combat the problem, and several Barrington parents expressed support for the court and the police yesterday.

“I think the community and the kids are starting to get it,” said Ronald A. Pirolli, Family Court’s deputy director of community relations.

Jeremiah reiterated that teen drinking is a statewide problem. Teens from Newport, East Providence, Tiverton and Cumberland also appeared before him yesterday.

Most of the teens faced charges of possessing alcohol while under the age of 21, and most agreed to take part in Family Court programs in which they’ll hear from inmates at the Adult Correctional Institutions, attend workshops at Rhode Island Hospital and bring their families to meet with counselors at Brown University’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies.

The Barrington teens received a stark reminder of what could await them when the afternoon’s first hearing ended with a Tiverton girl being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. Jeremiah sent her to the state Training School until Monday based on charges she possessed marijuana and alcohol after she had entered the Family Court programs for a previous charge.

The girl’s father broke down as he told the judge about the death of his wife and his attempts to keep his daughters away from drugs and alcohol. “They won’t listen to me,” he said.

Jeremiah vowed to get the girl into a treatment program.

The next teen to appear in court was accused of possessing alcohol, along with three friends, on Massasoit Village Beach Association property in Barrington.

The teen agreed to enter the Family Court program and abide by conditions, which include being available day and night to submit to Breathalyzer tests administered by Family Court staff or local police.

Jeremiah said that if the teen completes the programs, he will be able to answer “no” if asked if he has a juvenile record on applications for the military, law school or medical school.

The teen’s father said he planned to send his son to a boarding school “to remove him from the current situation.” The father also praised Jeremiah and the Barrington police for their efforts to curb teen drinking.

One 16-year-old Barrington boy read from a handwritten letter. “I’d first like to apologize to my family, the authorities and the community,” he said. “I have smartened up.”

Jeremiah grilled several teens about where they obtained alcohol. One said he got beer “from one of my brother’s friends from college.”

A teenage girl from Newport — who was described in court by a police officer as a “phenomenal student and a phenomenal athlete” — was accused of possessing Olde English, a brand of malt liquor.

Jeremiah told the girl about Kayleigh A. Raposa, the 16-year-old Warren girl who died in February 2007 when she was a passenger in a car that hit a utility pole in Bristol. Prosecutors have said the driver had been drinking shots of Bacardi and Gatorade and was driving more than twice the speed limit when she crashed.

“A beautiful young lady like you died because of alcohol,” Jeremiah said.

efitzpat@projo.com