OAJJA: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council (JJDP)
Council Overview
The Colorado Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council provides statewide leadership and advocacy to improve the juvenile justice system, prevent delinquency, ensure equal justice and accountability for all youth while maximizing community safety.
The Colorado Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Council is appointed by the Governor as the State Advisory Group pursuant to the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and is charged under the Act to advise and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on juvenile justice issues. The Council reviews and approves applications for federal grant funding through the JJDP Act, monitors and evaluates projects funded, and oversees compliance with the core requirements of the JJDP Act.
Meetings
All meetings of the Council are held at the Division of Criminal Justice.
If you need more information, copies of agenda, or copies of minutes from meetings not listed here, please contact Kelly Abbott at the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance.
Meetings are held quarterly and begin at 9 a.m.
All meetings are virtual until the public health crisis ceases.
Past Meetings
February 17, 2023
2/17/23 Agenda | Minutes
November 18, 2022
11/18/22 Agenda | Minutes
August 19, 2022
08/19/22 Agenda | Minutes
June 17, 2022
06/17/22 Agenda | Minutes
February 18, 2022
02/18/22 Agenda | 02/18/22 Minutes
November 20, 2021
11/20/21 Agenda | 11/20/21 Minutes
Subcommittees
Children’s Code
Committee Chair: Rebecca Gleason
Committee Co-Chair: Stacie Colling
Goal: The Children’s Code committee will build on its successes to finalize a set of recommendations for revision to Article 2.5 that can better contribute to a developmentally appropriate, swift, consistent, transparent, and equitable juvenile justice system.
Date/Time: Monthly, 3rd Thursday, 1-3pm
Location: Virtual
Children's Code Review Recommendation Form
All meetings of the Council are held at the Division of Criminal Justice. If you need more information, copies of agenda, or copies of minutes from meetings not listed here, please contact Kelly Abbott at the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance.
Emerging Leaders
Committee Chair: Rotates quarterly
Goal: To bring the ideas, voices, and experiences to the JJDP Council and promote change by guiding policy through youth centered values, engaging with the community and building awareness/education about the juvenile justice system.
Date/Time: Monthly, 1st Saturday, 9am-12pm
Location: Virtual
All meetings of the Council are held at the Division of Criminal Justice. If you need more information, copies of agenda, or copies of minutes from meetings not listed here, please contact Kelly Abbott at the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance.
Research & Evaluation
Committee Chair: Brian Bumbarger
Purpose: To continue to support quality improvement in the juvenile justice system through key research and/or evaluation projects.
Date/Time: TBD
Location: Virtual
All meetings of the Council are held at the Division of Criminal Justice. If you need more information, copies of agenda, or copies of minutes from meetings not listed here, please contact Kelly Abbott at the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance.
Reports
- Colorado's Project Narrative and Three-Year Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Plan (2024-2026)
- Colorado's Three-Year Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Plan (2021-2023) (Updated July 2021)
- Colorado's Three-Year Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Plan (2018-2020) (Updated August 2018)
- 2019 Annual Juvenile Justice Report to the Governor
- 2018 Annual Juvenile Justice Report to the Governor
- 2017 Annual Juvenile Justice Report to the Governor
Colorado Evidence Based Programs and Practices Toolkit
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council collaborated with partners to create a toolkit to guide a data-driven, decision-making process to identify specific challenges or issues in communities and to select evidence-based interventions that can be implemented to address the identified challenge or issue. The overall goal is to support the work of improving the lives of youth and families in our communities.
The main areas with tools and templates are
Juvenile Justice and Prevention Act of 2002
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act aims to prevent and reduce juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system, by insuring appropriate sanctions and services, due process, proper treatment and safe confinement for juveniles who are involved in the juvenile justice system. The core requirements of the Act are:
- Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders: Juveniles charged with or who have committed offenses that would not be criminal if committed by an adult, or such non-offenders as dependent and neglected children, shall not be placed in secure detention facilities or secure correctional facilities. These offenders include, but are not limited to, truants, runaways, or minors in possession of alcohol. Violations occur when accused status offenders are held in secure juvenile detention centers for more than 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, and when adjudicated status offenders are held for any length of time either in these facilities or any adult jail or municipal lockup.
- Sight and Sound Separation of Juvenile and Adult Offenders (Separation): During the temporary period that a juvenile may be held in an adult jail or lockup, no sight or sound contact between the juvenile and adult inmates or trustees is permitted.
- Removal of Juveniles from Adult Jails and Lockups (Jail Removal): Juveniles accused of committing a delinquent act may be held in temporary custody, not to exceed 6 hours, at an adult jail or lockup for the purpose of processing. Reports from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention show that juveniles held with adults for any period of time can easily be victimized, may be easily overwhelmed by a lock-up and may commit suicide, adult facilities have neither the staff, programs nor training to best manage juveniles, and jail or secure lockup does not provide a deterrent.
- Addressing the Over Representation of Minorities in the Juvenile Justice System: States are required to put forth efforts to reduce the proportion of youth of color who are detained or confined in secure facilities, or who have contact at any decision point of the system.
Juvenile Justice Reauthorization Act of 2018
In December 2018, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act (JJRA) of 2018 was signed into law, reauthorizing and substantially amending the JJDP Act.
The amendments made by the JJRA become effective in FY 2020 (October 1, 2019).
JJDP Council Members
Paula Ramaekers-Mattas
Appointed August 2017
JJDP Council Chair, Mesa County Partners Executive Director
Brian Bumbarger
Appointed July 2020
JJDP Council Vice Chair, Research and Evaluation
Jamin Alabiso
Appointed August 2022
Magistrate, Jefferson County
Bekah Arnold
Appointed August 2022
Melinda Beckler
Appointed October 2016
Jefferson Center for Mental Health Center
Josiah Britton
Appointed September 2023
Julie DeNicola
Appointed June 2022
Stepping Stones Advocacy, LLC
Nicole Duncan
Appointed September 2023
Juvenile Defense Counsel
Al Estrada
Appointed January 2017
Division of Youth Services
Kelly Friesen
Appointed June 2022
Grand County Sheriff's Department/Juvenile Diversion/CYDC Coordinator
Charles Gilford
Appointed July 2020
City and County of Denver
Rebecca Gleason
Appointed March 2018
18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
Diana Goldberg
Appointed July 2020
SungateKids
Thomas Harbaugh
Appointed July 2020
State Court Administrator’s Office
Will Hays
Appointed June 2012
Hilltop Community Resources, Inc.
Katie Hecker
Appointed August 2022
Office of Child’s Representative
Kira Jukes
Appointed July 2020
Juvenile Assessment Center, 1st JD
David J. Kollar
Appointed December 2019
Jefferson County Public Schools
Alisiana Medina
Appointed June 2022
Denver Indian Family Resource Center
Nicole Miera
Appointed August 2022
Keystone Policy Center, American Indian/Alaska Native Program
Crystal Murillo
Appointed July 2016
Kyle Ragland
Appointed July 2020
Weld County Department of Human Services
Daniel Sampson
Appointed June 2022
Driven by Our Ambitions (DBORA)
Effie Seibold
Appointed December 2019
Office of the Colorado State Public Defender
Joseph Shelton
Appointed June 2022
Thomas Steele
Appointed September 2023
Westminster Police Department/Jefferson County School District
Nirvan Tyagi
Appointed September 2023
Elliana White
Appointed September 2023
Jamir Williams
Appointed September 2023