Be a Volunteer or Intern with Community Justice Alternatives

Our most valuable asset is dedicated people. 

Programs are offered to Offenders so they can enrich their lives, and fill free time with productive, educational and fun activities.  Days/hours for programs are typically weekday evenings and weekends. This list is not inclusive. The programs unit is always looking for new and innovative topics to offer enrichment to our offenders.

  • GED preparedness and tutoring
  • Fitness
  • Life skills and practical applications such as budgeting, menu planning, nutrition
  • Cognitive skills topics such as anger management, parenting and self improvement
  • Spiritual
  • Hobby and creative outlet instruction, such as music appreciation, poetry writing, book club, art, knitting, fly tying

Volunteers and Interns assist our Victim-Witness Specialists by contacting and providing information to the victims (of offenders in our custody), which may include notification of offender status changes, assistance in understanding our programs, and/or how to obtain resources in the community.  Due to the highly sensitive and confidential nature of the victim information involved in victim services and notification, volunteers are carefully selected.

Court Liaisons serve defendants (referred to as participants) in the criminal justice system with mental health needs, with a priority on serving individuals for whom a question of competency has been raised.  In addition, liaisons address more comprehensive needs of a defendant beyond competency (such as mental health, housing, and transportation), thereby supporting long-term stability and positive outcomes for the defendant, while simultaneously reducing the burden on the court system and jails as a repository for individuals struggling with mental health needs.  Interns act as support to our Court Liaisons with all of these tasks.

Community Corrections operates a Residential Facility for offenders serving felony sentences. The program components include monitoring for community safety, employment assistance, treatment, budgeting skills, and links to community resources. Interns will receive a multidisciplinary program assisting the men's and women's residential programs in the security section, the Day Reporting Center, the juvenile Transportation Unit and the Employment Lab. Since Community Corrections is a 24/7 residential facility, internship opportunities can be scheduled during a wide variety of hours. Interns will receive exposure and skills in security functions, juvenile court procedures, substance monitoring and testing and assisting offenders with gaining employment.

Community Corrections offers several residential treatment programs for adult male and female felony offenders aimed at treating mental illness and/or substance abuse and reducing criminal behavior and recidivism.  Opportunities vary based on the education and credentials of interns but may include: long term clinical/therapy, clinical case management, administration and scoring of assessments, group facilitation, and other administrative tasks.  All opportunities allow interns to be a part of our dynamic treatment team.  Clinical hours and supervision are available for CAC, MSW, MFT and BSW students - supervision for other Master's Level candidates may be available based on staff credentials.

If there is another program/unit within Community Justice Alternatives that interests you for an internship or volunteer position, please contact us.

Interested in learning more about Community Justice Alternatives? 

Sign up for a tour to see the Alternative Sentencing and Community Corrections work environment firsthand. 

Upcoming Tour Dates:  

  • January 26, 2024
  • February 23, 2024
  • March 22, 2024
  • April 26, 2024
  • May 24, 2024
  • June 28, 2024
Registration is required - please use the CJA Tour Sign-Up form.
Tours last approximately 1 hour and begin at 1:00 pm at the Alternative Sentencing Department building (Door #3 - Administration) located at: 2307 Midpoint Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525.  
 
Please notify Gina Shubin at shubingm@co.larimer.co.us if you experience any of the following within 14 days of your scheduled tour:
 
  • A new dry cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Runny Nose
  • Recent loss of smell or taste
  • Head or body aches
  • A fever equal to or higher than 100.4 °F within the last 72 hours before the tour

Or if you have had close contact with anyone with Covid or Covid symptoms for 14 days prior to the tour date.

 

Contact our Volunteer/Intern Coordinators

Lori Whitson (for VOLUNTEERS)
Phone:  (970) 980-2615
Fax: (970) 980-2610
Britta Johnson(for INTERNSHIPS)
Phone:  (970) 980-2654
Fax: (970) 980-2610
 
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Larimer County will provide a reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability who need assistance, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship to the County or fundamentally alter services.  Services can be arranged with at least seven (7) business days’ notice.  Please email cjsd_business_operations@larimer.org or call (970) 980-2679 or Relay Colorado 711.  “Walk-in” requests for auxiliary aids and services will be honored to the extent possible but may be unavailable if advance notice is not provided.