About the Juvenile Court Division
The Boulder District Attorney’s Juvenile Court Division seeks timely and effective interventions and accountability for young people who have committed offenses, working to reach outcomes that keep them safe and support behavioral change while remaining in their home, school, and community whenever possible.
Juveniles in appropriate cases may be eligible to participate in the Boulder District Attorney’s Diversion Program, which offers an alternative to traditional prosecution and adjudication. The Boulder DA’s Office typically diverts more than half of juvenile cases each year, connecting young people with needed supports and services and helping them repair harm to those affected by their offense. Upon successful completion of diversion, the young person’s case is dismissed so that they can get back on the right track and move forward in a positive way, without a juvenile record that could get in the way of school or employment opportunities.
Juvenile Treatment within the Criminal Court
Juveniles are treated differently than adults in the criminal court system. The juvenile justice system focuses more on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation than it does on punishment. The Colorado Children’s Code (CRS 19-1-102) requires that the juvenile justice system work to do what’s best for each individual young person’s welfare and the interests of society, preferably in the young person’s own home.
Juvenile Deputy DA’s Range of Outcomes
The Deputy DA in Juvenile Court has several options for handling juvenile cases, depending on the young person’s underlying needs and prior history, and the nature of the offense.
Youth with certain offenses may be eligible to participate in diversion programs, which provides an alternative to prosecution and adjudication. Juveniles in most cases referred to the District Attorney’s Office will be screened using the Arizona Risk and Needs Assessment (ARNA) screening tool as required by Colorado statute (CRS 19-2.5-402). The ARNA score is only one factor considered when determining a young person’s diversion eligibility.
Youth with repeat offenses or more serious behavior are brought into the court system to access increased support and supervision of compliance with rehabilitative efforts and interventions. Youth who need the highest level of support and supervision may be sentenced to the Department of Youth Corrections for up to two years.
