Denver offers a way out for juvenile offenders

Photo byRené RanischonUnsplash

Juvenile offenders in the City and County of Denver often are eligible for myriad programs intended to divert them from jail and restore justice.

State officials and representatives of the District Attorney’s Office visited Wednesday the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee of the City Council. They gave the dais an overview of the services they provide to juvenile offenders.

During several presentations, officials shared a vast amount of data. The Colorado Youth Detention Continuum serves as an intake center for offenders. In 2003 the state had 479 detention beds, according to the presentation. Today there are only 215. Many offenders do not go to a detention center but instead serve home detention, according to the presentation.

The demographics of juvenile offenders illustrate alarming disparities, the presentation shows. For example, in 2023-2024 Black youth comprised 216 of 548 offenders. The number of Hispanic offenders is even higher, at 266. There were just 60 white offenders and six “other.”

In 2023-2024, the continuum served 320 youth, according to the presentation. Of those, 5.3% were classified “failure to appear/absent without leave;” 8.4% were non-compliant; 5.9% returned to jail, and 58% faced firearm or violent charges.

Accountability without incarceration

The District Attorney’s office presented to the committee information about their juvenile diversion programs. They defined “diversion” as “Intervention approaches that redirect participants away from formal processing in the justice system, while still holding them accountable for their actions. The goal of diversion is to remove youth and adults as early in the justice process as possible to avoid later negative outcomes associated with formal processing, such as increased odds of recidivism, stigmatization/labeling, and increased criminal justice costs.”

The presentation further states, “The Denver District Attorney’s diversion Programs provide culturally competent services that repair the harm caused by crime to victims and the community, increase social competency skills of offenders and reduce the likelihood of further involvement in the court system.”

Staff from the District Attorney’s Office explained a program where juvenile auto thieves meet their victims. They get to talk about how the crime impacted themselves and their victims.

Juveniles sometimes are ordered to pay restitution for crimes, which is capped at $5,000. The District Attorney’s Office has programs where young people can work in various minimum wage jobs to pay off their restitution.

Crimes eligible for diversion

According to the presentation, crimes eligible for diversion programs include theft, aggravated motor vehicle theft, select sex offenses, burglary, criminal mischief, trespass, possession of a controlled substance. Additional crimes can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Records are expunged upon completion of the program.

Offenders in the diversion programs receive wraparound services such as substance abuse and mental health treatment, according to the presentation, and the courts work with poverty-stricken families to stabilize their living situations. Offenders learn about journaling and other mindfulness techniques, the presentation explains, and they also can pursue their GEDs. There is one diversion officer for every 25 offenders, according to the presentation, which is considered a small caseload. There currently are 30 offenders enrolled in the program, half of them Black, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The Denver Juvenile Probation Department currently supervises approximately 250 youth between the ages of 12 and 18, according to the presentation. Of the 250 approximately 180 are supervised regularly, according to the presentation, and approximately 70 are assigned to specialized programs. Most of the youths (35%) are Black, followed by Hispanic (32%) and white (29%).

More funding needed

Representatives from the state and the District Attorney’s Office said more money is needed to fund the programs at the level of need. They face big challenges such as more gun violence among the youths, a lack of residential treatment options and the opioid/fentanyl crisis, they said.

Council member Amanda Sawyer said a proposal for a .25 percent sales tax ballot initiative to fund youth programs was shelved in favor of the mayor’s affordable housing initiative, which will appear on the ballot in November. “I just need to acknowledge that very clearly right here, right now,” Sawyer said. Council member Chris Hinds said he was not aware of that and expressed disappointment at the decision.

Myriad programs help offenders get back on their feet

Diversion programs include:

The Juvenile Intensive Supervision Probation Program for high-risk juvenile offenders. “The program is designed to deliver intensive case management to include increased probation/youth contact, monitoring of school progress, referral for remedial educational assistance, home visits, electronic monitoring, drug testing, skill building, and treatment services, as required,” according to the presentation.

The Handgun Intervention Program, or HIP. HIP is a comprehensive approach to youth gun violence reduction that is committed to balancing community safety with the youth’s needs through a continuum of services,” according to the presentation. “HIP embraces a culturally diverse, restorative justice model by promoting and inspiring healthy lifestyles through accountability, education, community partnerships and competency development.”

Denver Youth and Family Treatment Court. This is for those struggling with substance abuse. “All participants complete assessments, receive monitored sobriety and are referred to treatment and programming at all levels from outpatient to inpatient,” according to the presentation. “Youth and their families also receive support and services that include education and employment, food, eviction services/eviction lawyer, housing resources, in-house clothing closet, independent living support and baby resources (diapers, formula, wipes).”

The city’s Office of Neighborhood Safety also administers programs aimed at reducing youth violence, according to the presentation. Those programs include violence interruption and gang intervention services.