Colorado’s child welfare system provides a range of services to protect children from abuse and neglect and to assist families in caring for their children.  This issue brief provides an overview of the child welfare system in Colorado, including administration and funding, reporting...

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...

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...

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.

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.

During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly passed legislation focused on enhancing the state's adoption, foster care, and child welfare programs; expanding a Division of Youth Services (DYS) pilot program designed to change the internal culture of DYS; and enhancing services...