Pima County Attorney - Community Justice Board

Pima County Attorney's Office image header

Image of child in courtroom The Pima County Attorney’s Office is committed to reducing juvenile crime, but we can’t do it alone. County Attorney Barbara LaWall’s vision of partnering with local neighborhoods and empowering volunteers to become a strong voice in the justice system became a reality when the first Community Justice Board was created in May of 1998. Now located throughout Pima County, Community Justice Boards (CJBs) operate on the principles of balanced and restorative justice while primarily focusing on juvenile accountability and building competencies for our youth and their families.

Community Justice Boards are comprised of specially-trained volunteers from communities throughout Pima County. With guidance, training, and support from the County Attorney’s Office, these volunteers hold Family Conferences to learn more about the youth, their families, and the circumstances surrounding the offense. The Board subsequently assigns age-appropriate and developmentally-appropriate consequences designed to hold youth accountable for their actions and decisions; build problem-solving, decision-making, and life skills; motivate youth through education; and promote successful futures. Boards also conduct follow-up conferences to monitor progress, encourage and motivate participants, and help youth feel more connected to their communities.

The goals of the program include:

Teaching offenders that their actions have caused harm and created an obligation to the victim and the community.
Creating the opportunity for the victim and community to express how they have been harmed by the juvenile’s actions.
Holding juveniles accountable by assigning consequences which help to repair the harm caused by their behavior.
Involving the juveniles in programs and activities that increase their ability to make positive life choices.

Types of Crime Addressed
The Boards work with juveniles between ages 8 and 17 who have been arrested for minor crimes such as:

Criminal Trespass
Property Damage
Simple Assault
Disturbing the peace
Truancy
Shoplifting
Possession of Alcohol or Illegal Substances
Graffiti

Restoring Justice in the Community
The Board has many options to restore justice for the victims, including:

Restitution to the Victim
Educational and Career Programs
Community Service
Letters of Apology
Other Creative Measures Determined by the Board
Behavior Modification

Accountability

How the Community Justice Boards Program works

Typically, Community Justice Boards meet twice monthly for two to three hours each night, making the time commitment approximately four to six hours per month. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Community Justice Board volunteer, please contact Georgia Eddy, Community Justice Board Program Coordinator, at 740-5215.

Below is the Application Form and Background Check Form. Please download both forms and return them to: Community Justice Board Program, Pima County Attorney’s Office, 32 N. Stone, Tucson, Arizona 85701.

	Volunteer Application Form
	Volunteer Background Investigation Form

	The majority of forms and publications on the Pima County Attorney's web site are in PDF (portable document format). Adobe® provides the free Acrobat® Reader to view and print PDF documents

Be Our Partner in Community Protection

A primary objective of the program is to partner with neighborhoods to increase public safety. Community members have an opportunity to take an active part in building a safe place to live. This is accomplished by participating in the Community Justice Board Program as a Board Member or Youth Mentor.

What It Takes To Get Involved

We ask that each volunteer serve with the program for at least six months, and:

Complete the application and interview process.
Undergo fingerprinting and a background check.
Complete the training / orientation process.
Regularly participate in the Board process.
Set a positive example for youth and other community members.

The Community Justice Board Program:
It’s working for neighborhoods.
It’s working for youth.

“We strive to restore the well-being of youth who have made inappropriate choices.”

“By assigning consequences, we create an awareness for youth to be accountable
to the victim and community in order to promote their personal success.”

For more information regarding the Community Justice Board Program, please contact:

Mike Burns
Community Justice Unit Supervisor
(520) 740-5600