In the fall of 2023, Yessenia Reyes, a 15-year-old student at Denver’s North High School, faced a shocking ordeal when a police officer arrived at her freshman video production class and informed her of her arrest.
The officer handcuffed Reyes and escorted her through the school to the principal’s office, a public humiliation that left her confused and embarrassed in front of her classmates.
This incident stemmed from a fight Reyes had gotten into with another girl at school, which she shared on her Instagram account as she explained her side of the story.
Reyes, now 17 and a junior, later reflected on the arrest, expressing her bewilderment at why it had to happen in such a public setting instead of the principal’s office.
Days after her arrest, Reyes appeared in a Denver Juvenile Court, where she was presented with her options as a first-time offender: she could either face a trial or enroll in a diversion program.
Choosing the latter, she signed up to work with Healing Generations, a community-based organization that aims to rehabilitate youth rather than punish them with criminal records.
In recent years, diversion programs in Colorado have grown in response to the increasing need to provide alternatives to incarceration for young offenders. These programs aim to connect young people with resources, fostering rehabilitation over punishment.
However, public defenders and juvenile justice advocates in Denver argue that the current youth justice system heavily relies on punitive measures for low-level offenses, particularly targeting children of color.
Critics argue that many youths who commit minor offenses would benefit from community-based, restorative alternatives that are increasingly rare in Denver’s municipal court diversion offerings.
One troubling trend noted by a report from the National Center for Youth Law in January 2025 was the significant number of municipal court charges filed against students in Lakewood, Colorado.
From 2016 to 2022, over 8,000 juvenile municipal court charges were filed, with more than half related to low-level infractions, including shoplifting and disorderly conduct.
Lakewood officials have disputed the accuracy of this report, claiming it relies on outdated data and does not reflect recent changes aimed at reducing juvenile court interactions.
Advocates maintain that the city’s reliance on ticketing and the limitations of the diversion programs fail to address systemic issues faced by youths—particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
Hong Le, a senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, stressed that minors deserve interventions that are developmentally appropriate and community-centered rather than punitive.
Le has pointed out that while courts often reduce or waive fees for low-income families, the imposition of fines can further entrench youth in the justice system, leading to lasting criminal records and potential detention.
In this backdrop, organizations like the Denver Healing Generations Network have emerged as viable alternatives, offering culturally relevant programs rooted in accountability, healing, and repair through Indigenous teachings.
Founded three years ago, Healing Generations has helped over 200 youths reconnect with their identities and communities, promoting healing instead of punishment through programs like Joven Noble, which applies rites-of-passage inspired by Indigenous traditions.
The movement toward diversion and community-based alternatives reflects a growing consensus among juvenile justice experts, who advocate that resources should empower organizations like Healing Generations, schools, and families to address youth misbehavior internally, avoiding the punitive justice system when possible.
Despite the intentions behind diversion programs, many still mirror aspects of the very system they aim to counteract.
For instance, typical diversion programs can include stringent conditions under which youths must complete assignments, with the threat of prosecution looming if they struggle to do so.
Youth public defender Nicole Duncan emphasizes that even minor contact with law enforcement can escalate into deeper system involvement for youths, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, with stark disparities in arrest rates.
The data shows that Black youths, for example, are disproportionately affected; they are 11 times more likely to be arrested by age 20 if they have a prior encounter with law enforcement during their early teen years.
Further compounding the issue, many youths become stressed by the ticketing and court processes, which often lead to missed school and work for families.
Critics are asking for a reevaluation of how youth misbehavior is handled, advocating for programs that recognize youths’ developmental needs rather than relying on punitive measures.
Kevin Lwango, program manager of Denver’s Diversion Services, claims that the program is designed holistically, individualized to meet young people’s needs and that considerable efforts are made to cover costs for families.
However, many advocates argue that funding cuts have undermined partnerships between diversion programs and community-based organizations, limiting resources for at-risk youth.
The history of diversion in Denver goes back to the 1990s when a response to urban youth violence prompted the establishment of programs designed to offer alternatives to incarceration for first-time or low-level juvenile offenders.
Padilla, one of the founders of Healing Generations, originally served as a diversion officer, witnessing firsthand how the system fell short in addressing deeper issues like childhood trauma.
He believes that community connection and identity can significantly mitigate the feelings of isolation that many youths experience, which often lead to negative behaviors in the face of systemic challenges.
After years of disillusionment with traditional diversion methods, Padilla, along with others, founded Healing Generations to offer courses that focus on self-identity and cultural pride, empowering young people to forge healthier paths.
The organization operates out of a modest building in north Denver, where they offer meals during meetings and focus on sharing personal stories and experiences in a supportive environment.
The Huitzilin Warriors program, developed for youth to express their stories and reflections, emphasizes the importance of sharing burdens and blessings within a community circle, fostering a culture of respect and integrity.
Reyes, who continues to engage with Healing Generations beyond her diversion requirements, feels a deep sense of connection to the programs, which helped her navigate the emotional toll of her past.
Having grown up in challenging circumstances that included family trauma and instability, Reyes struggled with anger and behavior issues.
Research indicates that punitive measures do not often help young people who engage in minor delinquent acts; what’s vital is providing them with understanding and support, reassuring them of their place within their community.
There’s also a push among experts to deflect youth from the justice system entirely, redirecting them toward community support before any legal involvement occurs.
In a notable contrast, Longmont, Colorado, successfully implemented a deflection program that has seen impressive completion rates among participants since its initiation in 2017.
Though Denver has an “Alternative to Citation” program aimed at offering non-judicial pathways, critics argue that it relies too heavily on school and police discretion without sufficient safeguards.
Reyes believes that without the support of Healing Generations, her trajectory would have likely led her to incarceration, seeing the transformed sense of self and community connectedness as vital to her growth.
She has set her sights on a hopeful future, aspiring to graduate from college or trade school and pursue her dream of opening a combined nail salon and flower store, inspired by a family member’s encouragement.
“I always believed I could make it one day,” Reyes affirmed, sharing her optimism for her future as a testament to the healing power of community and culturally-rooted education.
image source from：coloradosun
