Second Regular Session | 72nd General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyCoronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak. This memorandum provides an overview of how courts and other sectors of the criminal justice system in...
This memorandum addresses abuse of corpse laws in the 50 states. While the vast majority of states have enacted abuse of corpse or other related laws, they differ in definition and crime classification. For example, some states outline penalties for mutilating or defacing a corpse, while...
This memorandum provides a listing of criminal justice reform bills passed in Colorado over the past several years. More specifically, the attached table provides the bill number, title, and description of the criminal justice reform legislation, organized by category (i.e., bail, juvenile,...
This memorandum provides an overview of statutes of limitations, including factors that impact length, such as statutes of repose and tolling. The memorandum also includes tables listing the various criminal and civil statutes of limitations and statutes of repose in the state.
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Treatment of Persons With Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Committee.
Summary report for the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System.
Summary report for the Prison Population Management Interim Study Committee.
This issue brief provides an overview of extreme risk protection orders, including what they are, how they are used, and how Colorado's proposed law compares to other states. It also addresses other types of protection orders authorized in Colorado law.
Community corrections programs serve as an alternative to prison or as a transition for individuals in prison to reenter society. This issue brief provides a general overview of community corrections.
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems.
According to the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC), between 2012 to 2017, the number of inmates who had moderate to severe mental health needs increased by 7 percent. Additionally, a steep increase in court-ordered competency evaluations and restorative treatments has caused a shortage...
Gravity and switchblade knives, which were originally popularized by classic movies such as West Side Story and Rebel Without a Cause, are considered illegal weapons in Colorado. Possessing such a weapon could result in a fine or jail time, or both. This issue brief...
A statute of limitations is a law that specifies the maximum length of time allowed for a victim or prosecutor to initiate legal proceedings. Such a statute may apply in either criminal or civil cases. This issue brief provides an overview of criminal statutes of limitations, including...
This memorandum provides an overview of how post-conviction sex offender polygraph testing (PCSOT) is used for adult sex offenders in Colorado, as well as in other states. It also includes a summary of current research on its effectiveness.
During the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly introduced numerous bills concerning crimes,criminal penalties, and law enforcement.
During the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly introduced numerous bills concerning the state’s correctional system and associated issues.
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems.
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the County Courthouse and County Jail Funding and Overcrowding Solutions Interim Study Committee.
This memo compares Colorado’s felony sentencing laws with those of Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. It provides an overview of determinate versus indeterminate sentencing schemes and incarceration rates.
This memo explains enhanced sentencing requirements for two different criminal offense categories: crimes of violence and habitual offenders. It also provides sentencing data for offenders convicted of crimes of violence or as habitual offenders between 2014 and 2016. During this three year...
This memorandum provides information concerning second look sentencing. Second look sentencing refers to sentence modification that occurs while an offender is serving his or her term of incarceration. This memorandum briefly describes second look sentencing and discusses the differences...
This memorandum provides an overview of the mandatory minimum sentencing schemes in Colorado law. It provides information on the general categories of offenses subject to enhanced prison sentences and specific crimes that require a mandatory minimum sentence. Three years of sentencing data are...
This issue brief provides an overview of state laws related to pet animal facilities. These facilities are licensed and regulated under the Colorado Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA).