The Legislative Council Staff is the research arm of the Colorado General Assembly.

The Legislative Council Staff provides nonpartisan information services and staff support to the Colorado Legislature.

Number 17-08 A Legislative Council Staff Publication February 2017

JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS IN COLORADO

By Amanda Hayden

This issue brief provides an overview of how

the justice system treats juveniles found guilty of a

crime in Colorado. It discusses juvenile problem

solving courts; detention and commitment; the

approach to criminal justice by emphasizing

treatment, outcomes, and collaboration. Colorado

has five problem solving courts for juveniles:

three drug courts and two mental health courts.

Drug courts serve juveniles in Cañon City,

Denver, and Fort Collins, while mental health

courts serve juveniles in Brighton and Golden. In

total during 2015 and 2016, juvenile drug courts

and juvenile mental health courts served

226 youth and 54 youth, respectively.

plea or post-plea basis, depending on the specific

court. Entering on a post-plea basis requires the

juvenile to have reached a plea agreement with

the district attorney whereby the juvenile admits

guilt to a specific offense or offenses. A pre-plea

program does not require a juvenile to have

entered a plea agreement in order to be eligible.

Juveniles who violate the terms of their probation

and are revoked by the court may also be referred

to a problem solving court. Participants tend to be

Problem solving courts may support

participants by engaging family members or

caregivers; requiring weekly or bi-weekly

appearances before a judge; or providing various

services, such as family or other types of therapy,

access to and encouragement of social activities,

parenting classes, educational programs,

medication evaluation and assistance, workforce

preparation, mentoring, housing support, and

relapse prevention programs.

undergo a screening and assessment process by

the court to determine if they can be safely

supervised in the community or if they require

secure detention to await the disposition of their

cases. By law, if a juvenile has not hired an

attorney for his or her detention hearing, the state

must appoint one. Youth may be detained in a

secure facility while awaiting a court hearing or to

serve a court-ordered detention sentence of up to

45 days. According to DYC, the

http://leg.colorado.gov/lcs

average length of stay for juveniles in detention

facilities is 15 days. Most juveniles awaiting a

court-ordered hearing are released and monitored

using non-secure, community-based services

such as day reporting or electronic home

monitoring. State law allows for the detention of

youth between the ages of 10 and 18. In

state for juveniles found guilty of a crime.

District courts can commit juveniles to the DYC

with either non-mandatory sentences — which

allow the youth to come before the juvenile parole

board when they complete treatment — or with

mandatory sentences of at least one year. A

juvenile’s actual length of stay will depend on a

number of factors, including the sentence given

by the court, the nature of the offense committed,

the juvenile’s progress in treatment, and the

mandatory minimum sentence of at least one

year. Certain juvenile offenders may be

sentenced to up to seven years.

DYC Facilities and Programs

The DYC operates ten facilities for juveniles.

Four of these facilities — located in Brighton,

Denver, Englewood, and Pueblo — serve only

youth in detention. Two facilities, one in Colorado

Springs and the other in Golden, serve only

committed youth. Multi-purpose facilities in

fingerprinted and given a medical screening, a

dental check-up, and a clinical evaluation, which

includes his or her family history and a drug and

alcohol assessment. Each offender completes

the Colorado Juvenile Risk Assessment to

determine how to reduce his or her risks of

reoffending. All youth adjudicated guilty of a

sexual offense or whose charges include a sexual

offense as the underlying factual basis receive a

Educational programs. Youth housed in

General education and special education services

are provided for all youth in detention facilities.

Juveniles committed to the DYC receive

educational services through programs provided

by the facility where they are housed. The DYC

must meet all academic standards and mandates

issued by the Colorado Department of Education

(CDE), and all teachers and principals employed

by DYC facilities are licensed by CDE.

suspend, or revoke parole. Treatment services

offered by DYC continue for parolees.

Youthful Offender System

The Youthful Offender System (YOS) is a part

of the Colorado Department of Corrections. It

was established in 1993 for juveniles tried and

convicted of felonies as adults. Any offender

convicted as an adult of a class 3 or class 4

violent felony who was between the ages of

14 and 18 at the time of the offense and was

felony, in which case he or she may be sentenced

mental health, substance use, and sex offenses,

as needed; and educational programs.