NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER
The
mediations that occur in the Neighborhood Justice Center fulfill two
very important goals in the criminal justice system. First, the
mediations can provide creative solutions to problems, which may not be
available in the standard setting of a criminal case. Second, the
mediations are an efficient and economical use of resources for minor
disputes that tend to receive little time or attention in an already
overburdened court system. Our office is committed to continuing
efforts such as the Neighborhood Justice Center, which provides
effective alternatives to the adversarial process of the courts.
John
R. Newsome
District Attorney
The Neighborhood Justice Center is a program designed to help
citizens peacefully resolve disputes through mediation hearings. The
Neighborhood Justice Center is an alternative to court hearings and can
reduce the case loads of the courts, as well as provide immediate help
to those who have conflicts that need to be acted upon quickly.
Mediation has been successful in settling more than 80% of citizen
complaints across the country.
WHAT IS MEDIATION?
Mediation is a process that, with the assistance of a trained,
neutral mediator or facilitator, focuses on identification of issues
creating conflict and development of mutually acceptable resolutions.
The emphasis is on problem solving as opposed to determination of guilt
or innocence.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER?
Parties will be contacted by NJC staff to discuss their case,
and the availability of mediation as a way of resolving the issues
involved. Sessions are conducted by a trained mediator who will explain
the process, establish ground rules, and ask the parties to explain the
situation from their perspective. Once the problems are identified, the
mediator will assist the parties in developing mutually agreeable terms
for resolving the issues creating the conflict.
HOW ARE REFERRALS MADE TO
THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER?
Referrals can be made through:
- Teller County Law Enforcement agencies
- El Paso County Sheriff's Department
- Colorado Springs Police Department
- Community agencies
- Walk-in clients wishing to file a complaint and to request
mediation services
- Prosecution/court referrals
- Schools
Regardless of the referral source, all parties must
voluntarily agree to participate in the program.
HOW MUCH DOES MEDIATION COST?
The hearing officers for the Neighborhood Justice Center are
hired by the District Attorney's Office and are trained in mediation
techniques. The citizen is not charged a fee for this service.
The hearings are conveniently scheduled during the week to
accommodate the public.