Adams County and Broomfield County have begun the planning stages on a central justice center that would provide victims’ families of sexual assault and domestic violence with resources. 

A joint effort between the two counties — along with the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Family Justice Center Alliance — the Family Justice Center would create a primary location for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, providing them and their family members with all available resources from local law enforcement, social service providers and other corresponding government agencies. 

County leaders will be holding a Family Justice Study Tour on Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at Parson’s Theater in the Northglenn Recreation Center, seeking community and stakeholder input and gathering steam for the potential center. 

Local elected officials, policymakers, non-profit agencies and government and community-based agencies will come together to start discussing the planning process, according to a news release by the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Focus groups involving victims will also be held to help identify service gaps and how to correctly establish said center.

“There is no doubt that Adams County will be safer as a result of this much-needed facility,” Emma Pinter, chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners, said in the release. “Having all our resources under one roof makes it easier for survivors to navigate multiple agencies and systems at one time, without duplicating efforts. In addition, this enables us to create a coordinated response to family violence, that is inclusive of victims from all backgrounds, and prevent violence in the future. The language access, queer-affirming counselors, and no requirements of an open criminal case are part of what makes this work important.”

The first Family Justice Center was created in San Diego in 2002 by the district attorney and police department. The model has since been identified as a best practice in the field of domestic violence intervention and prevention by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the release.

A 2020 research article published in the Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research found that a family justice center can reduce domestic violence-related homicide rates.

Other studies by the Family Justice Center Alliance found that centers help reduce fear and anxiety in victims and their children and lead to better coordination amongst service providers. 

“When a community starts the process of a Family Justice Center, it says to all victims that we care and we are here for you for the long haul,” Casey Gwinn, president of Alliance for HOPE International, said in the release.