Community, Criminal, Family and Social Justice
Correcting a System of Unequal Justice by Collaboration and Policy Change.
The Community, Criminal, Family, and Social Justice Initiative (CCFSJ) will primarily focus on goals, Including:
- Develop and promote strategies and resources to create safe neighborhoods/spaces for the youth of color free of crime and violent activity. (Examples: pre-employment skills, work skills, crime prevention, and early interventions)
- Addressing the Over-Representation of Minorities in the Colorado Juvenile Justice System
- Partner with local organizations/universities to provide comprehensive cultural competency training for justice agencies and all treatment and service organizations used by justice system agencies.
- Develop and promote healthy strategies and partnerships with law enforcement/justice system agencies and the community of color to increase an overall practice of trust, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
- Support policies that promote the diversification of police, fire, sheriff, and court system personnel. Recruit and hire community-conscious personnel.
- Increase the use of Restorative Justice interventions in place of criminal justice involvement and out-of-school student punishment.
Key Activities
YOUTH AND GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
We know that job resources, internships, and entrepreneurship are incredibly important through our research and dialog with youth and existing business and community partners. We aim to maximize results by expanding on existing resources through our youth, community, and business stakeholders. CCFSJ, through partnerships and collaboratives built with our local business and corporate partners, seeks to streamline, and grow the existing pipelines of internships and apprenticeships for our youth to gain experience for long-term careers and entrepreneurship aspirations.
CCFSJ will partner with our city and county partners to ensure community safe spaces are accessible and available for black and brown youth to use and supplied with resources like technology and collaborative space, access to health and wellness information, and job and internship opportunities. CCFSJ will lastly partner with boots on a ground organization addressing youth gun and gang violence to continue to build capacity and resources for these communities to build positive work further.
REDUCING OVER-REPRESENTATION
CCFSJ will partner with the community and youth to engage with law enforcement bodies to develop policies and strategies that address the systemic and structural racism that disproportionately affects people of color. MBSK Colorado will also partner with judicial district and state-level Minority Over Representation Groups to drive for best practices, policy change, and community resources for black and brown youth.
WRAPAROUND SUPPORT
CCFSJ will coordinate comprehensive wraparound supports to guarantee that African American and Hispanic youth are involved in the juvenile justice system. Our goal is to better support and coordinate with existing programs like DBOA, LLC, Restart Counseling, All for One Health Center, etc., to provide intervention, preventative, mentoring, and therapy services for clients and their culturally based families. Provide Job training, education resources, and independent resources for living/transition.