Colorado Commits to RJ

• Governor Ritter signs bill authorizing the use of RJ in Children's Code (March 2008, House Bill 08-1117)

• "Colorado’s wide range of activity has given it a pioneering role in the restorative practices and restorative justice movement. " International Institute for Restorative Justice (August 2008)

Colorado Children’s Code Authorizes Restorative Justice Conferences for Adjudicated Youth
On March 31, 2008, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed into law House Bill 08-1117, which authorizes the use
of restorative justice (RJ) in the state’s Children’s Code and gives Colorado thelegislative edge among states that sanction
the use of RJ. The bill passed 63-1 in the House and 33-0 in the Senate. Upon signing the bill, Governor Rittersaid, “By making juvenile offenders take responsibility for the consequences of their actions, we can teach them that
the decisions they make, both good and bad, will affect the course of their life.
Repairing the harm that someone has caused can be the thing that matters most
in the criminal justice system.” Added Ritter, “As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen
too many people start out committing minor crimes as juveniles and escalate to
committing serious crimes as adults. We must do everything we can to intervene
early and break this cycle.”
See full article in International Institute for Restorative Practices, March 2008