The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), Colorado Department of Public Safety, was created by the Colorado legislature to "... improve all areas of the administration of criminal justice in Colorado..." (24-33.5-501 C.R.S. 1973 as amended).  The mission of DCJ is to improve the public safety of the community, the quality of services to crime victims, and the effectiveness of services to offenders.  This is accomplished by analyzing policy, conducting criminal justice research, managing programs and administering grants. 

OAJJA is one of the units within DCJ that administers grants.  The OAJJA unit manages seven major federal and state criminal and juvenile justice funding programs, one of which is the State Juvenile Diversion program.  The State Juvenile Diversion Program was also created by the legislature (19-1-103(44) C.R.S.) to prevent further involvement of juveniles in the formal justice system.  Juvenile Diversion programs are community-based alternatives to the formal court system for youth between the ages of 10-17 who have been taken into custody for misdemeanor or felony offenses as the district level.  Programs concentrate on holding the youth accountable for their behavior while involving them in programs and activities to prevent future criminal and delinquent behavior. 

Juvenile Diversion funds are appropriated yearly by the Colorado General Assembly.  Currently, approximately $1.2 million in general funds have been appropriated to help support juvenile diversion programming as authorized under §19‑2-303, C.R.S.

Currently there are nineteen state funded Juvenile Diversion programs throughout the state of Colorado.