Andrea Bianchi, Restorative Justice Coordinator, TEENS, Inc.   Last October, the Town of Nederland, in partnership with TEENS, Inc., received a Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) to develop and implement a Restorative Justice (RJ) initiative for the Peak to Peak region.

One year has passed, and many partnerships have been forged and youth have been served under the Peak to Peak Restorative Challenge. We are excited to continue on into year two improving practices, further bridging into nearby communities, and working to create an overall restorative community.

RJ is an approach to working through crime, conflict or challenging situations in schools and in the community. The process focuses on the harm that was done in those situations, youth taking accountability for their actions, exploring how their actions may have impacted others, and then working to repair the harm.

This approach is successful in reducing crime, violence, and bullying; improving youth behaviors; building stronger communities; restoring relationships; and reintegrating youth back into good standing in their schools and neighborhoods.

As the Restorative Justice Coordinator, my time has been split between different partnering agencies. With 20-30 hours a week at Nederland Middle Senior High School, I have worked with 42 students to resolve a variety of issues including theft, vandalism, bullying, and harassment. Taking direct referrals from the NMSHS administration, we were able to reduce in-school suspension and detention, keeping students in class and preventing them from falling behind in their coursework.

This process helps students develop crucial skills in problem-solving challenging situations, critical thinking, relationship building, conflict resolution, and empathy. The process involves all affected parties, where teachers, staff, and other students are able to come to the table and share their feelings, state their needs, and help determine what is needed to repair the harm. Students sign a contract, committing to follow through on the agreements that are made during the meetings.

In partnership with the Nederland Municipal Court and the Nederland Police Department, we were able to resolve issues of substance use and destruction of property. Having direct referrals from the officers enables the youth to defer a court case and be an active participant in the disciplinary process.

Community members, police officers, and family members all participate to hold the youth accountable while maintaining high levels of support. This level of engagement allows youth to take responsibility for their actions and understand how they affect others. Therefore they are less likely to reoffend in the future. This keeps youth out of the justice system and in the community.

Part of our process is to monitor the youth that move through the RJ process. 93% of the youth who went through a process completed their contracted agreements. 100% of victims or impacted participants felt that the process was fair and addressed their needs.  It is too early at this point, but we will also have data on whether the youth involved have reoffended within one year of their contract completion dates.

Another developing partnership is one with the District Attorney's office of the 20th judicial district, with the expansion of restorative justice services throughout Boulder County.

A new program, Boulder County Restorative Justice (BCRJ), will collaborate with current restorative justice providers already established in the area, such as TEENS, Inc. BCRJ will be directed and managed by the staff of Longmont Community Justice Partnership (LCJP), which has seen great success in facilitating restorative processes in the Longmont community and schools for over 20 years.

BCRJ will be primarily funded through another JAG grant, and will complement Colorado's Restorative Justice Pilot Program (established by H.B. 13-1254), which has already increased the use of restorative justice for youth throughout the state.  This partnership will help to maintain high standards of practice, and ensure youth are working through crimes and conflicts in their community where they took place.

With all this exciting and effective work underway, the Peak to Peak Restorative Challenge is looking to increase the understanding of Restorative Justice within the Peak to Peak region, and develop a solid base of community volunteers who are passionate about strengthening our community and working with youth to develop the skills needed to be healthy, contributing members of society.

A volunteer would participate in RJ circles as a representative of the community, to speak how the community may have been affected by a youth’s behavior or action, and help determine how the youth might make things right. If you’re interested in learning more or want to get involved, contact Andrea at 303.258.3821 (ext.16) or andrea@teensinc.org.