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Steamboat Springs — The tri-county 14th Judicial District handled 4,993 total cases - ranging from felony prosecutions to traffic infractions - in 2007, the district's lowest total in three years.

That number translates into a 7.5 percent overall reduction for the district, comprised of Moffat, Routt and Grand counties, and the lowest since 2004 when the district finished the year with 4,456 cases.

Although the reduction appears to be welcome news, 14th Judicial District Attorney Bonnie Roesink said there are causes for concern.

Two of the three counties - Moffat and Grand - registered more felonies in 2007 than the year before.

Last year also brought about two homicide cases - one in Moffat and the other in Routt - and what appears to be an upswing in sexual assaults and child abuse, Roesink said.

"The serious crimes, the felonies, are going up," said Roesink, who speculated that the trend might continue in the future as growing economies within the district draw more people to the area.

"These numbers are going to go up," she said. "Unfortunately."

Of the three counties, Moffat had the lowest number of total cases (1,409), followed by Grand (1,630) and Routt (1,954).

But, those counties are exactly the opposite in terms of felonies.

Moffat County, with 237 felonies in 2007, registered the highest among the three, followed by Grand's 206 and Routt's 165.

The district's two homicides are in various stages of the legal process. Roesink said she's "hopeful" that the cases, which require significant time and resources, will conclude sometime this year.

The District Attorney also is looking ahead to this year's implementation of a drug court and possibly instituting more "restorative justice."

The drug court typically is a collaborative effort among judiciary, prosecution, defense, treatment, social services and others to work with offenders of less serious, drug-related crimes on treatment options in lieu of a jail sentence.

Restorative justice, Roesink said, brings involved parties together outside the court system to discuss a "resolution that would satisfy everybody." The program can be used for juvenile and diversion cases, and crimes against property, among others.

As for the District Attorney herself, Roesink said 2007 was a year she'd like to forget. The year brought about two recall efforts against Roesink, a 14th Judicial District veteran for more than 20 years.

Both recalls failed.

"2007," she said, "was a trying year. I'm glad it's over."

She also reiterated an earlier vow to not seek re-election this year. Her term expires in January 2009. It's unknown whether one of the nine prosecutors under her in the 14th will run for the position.

"I'm hoping somebody will," Roesink said. "It's got to happen pretty soon."