Housed in the Community Services Department, the JSVP is one of the oldest and most highly regarded volunteer programs in the United States. Founded in 1961, the program involved a small group of community mentors for youth on probation. Over the years, the program grew to about 15 different volunteer positions in the Sheriff’s Office, Probation, District Attorney’s Office, Community Services, and the Courts.
Through the years, as volunteers became more important and frequently included in county government, many departments started their own programs. Currently, the JSVP recruits, screens and places volunteers in Community Justice Services and in some units of the District Attorney’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office hosts a robust volunteer program, as do other departments in Boulder County government.
Volunteers play a vital role in enhancing services to crime victims, juveniles, and adult offenders. Our community volunteer members are essential in helping us maintain an open and responsive criminal justice system. JSVP plans and administers program development, provides vetting and orientation of new volunteers as well as staff technical assistance and training in volunteer resources management. The program also works closely with other county departments and community groups to expand volunteer initiatives.
What Do Volunteers Do?
There are approximately 100 ongoing volunteers in more than a dozen programs under the JSVP umbrella. Volunteers range in age from college students to retirees. We have opportunities for undergraduate interns (Juvenile Assessment Center position) and graduate students seeking to gain practical experience and explore career options, as well as meaningful ways for residents to share their time and talents with local government.
Here are just a few of the ways you can get involved:
- Provide support and information to crime victims (40-hour training – DA)
- Be a mentor to a youth 11-14 who needs extra attention (One-year commitment)
- Assist with data entry, tracking and analysis of criminal justice statistics
- Intern in the Juvenile Assessment Center (10 hours per week for 9 months)
- Work with an adult defendant (Jail Education & Transition Programs – JET)
- Help people with consumer issues (Community Protection – DA)
- Special Projects in the youth detention center (1 hour per week)
- Teach ESL, Mindfulness, CBT, GED and life skills classes to jail inmates (JET)
Volunteers and interns may be placed in Boulder or Longmont depending on the need.
For current openings, visit the Criminal Justice & Public Safety page. For application information about any current opening, call 303-441-3718, or email jsvp@bouldercounty.org
