Denver District Attorney's Office Honored for Outstanding Work

Denver, CO - The Community Justice Division of the Denver District Attorney's Office received an Outstanding Asset Builder Award at a statewide summit hosted by Assets for Colorado Youth in Copper Mountain on April 4-5. The Community Justice Division was honored for its outstanding work in promoting positive youth development by implementing an effective, youth-driven, community asset-building project.

Division member Vicky Artis accepted the award. Other representatives attending the ceremony from the District Attorney's Office were Michelle Wheeler and Ismael Garcia.

Said María Guajardo Lucero, executive director of Assets for Colorado Youth, "The Community Justice Division provided opportunities for young people from the North Denver neighborhood of Globeville to make positive changes and improve the image of youth in their community using assets as the basis of their work."

The Denver District Attorney's office also formed the Globeville Community Accountability Board, a restorative justice process that uses a strength-based approach and builds on juvenile offenders' assets to try to reintegrate them back into their community. Some have had to complete a GED, for example, or have volunteered at a recreation center with an adult mentor.

Assets for Colorado Youth (ACY) is a nonprofit organization that champions positive youth development by increasing developmental assets in youth. Developmental assets are a research-based set of opportunities, values and positive relationships that all young people need in their lives to succeed.

For more information, visit the ACY Web site: www.buildassets.org, or call the Denver District Attorney's Office: 720-913-9088.

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