BELIEVE IN YOUTH: HELPING YOUTH TURN THE PAGE

We believe that allowing youth who have been subjected to the criminal system to start over, through clean records, helps create healthy, thriving communities. The Believe in Youth program puts boots on the ground in the battle to give Colorado’s young people the second chances they deserve, through direct representation, legislative advocacy, and community trainings.

Since 2014, CJDC has directly represented youth and adults who seek to remove themselves from the sex offender registry or expunge their juvenile records. Our current program is run by Skadden Fellow, Emma Mclean-Riggs. If you were convicted as a juvenile (in a “JD” case) and are looking for help getting off the sexual offender registry, expunging your record, or both, please contact our office. We never charge for our services.

Believe in Youth offers several different workshops and trainings, for different audiences. If you would like one of our attorneys to present to your youth about sexting laws or expungement, teach an audience of attorneys how to succeed in these proceedings, or your organization would like an orientation to our services, please contact our office. We only charge for professional trainings - all training for youth is free.

CJDC partners with other organizations that serve youth experiencing poverty, including the Colorado Office of the State Public Defender, the Office of Alternate Defense Counsel, the Office of the Child’s Representative, and Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center. CJDC also works closely with Colorado guardians ad litum, treatment providers, social workers, foster families, probation officers, and other members of young peoples’ support teams.