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Tag: Criminal Justice Reform

Colorado Budget Panel Rejects Prison Expansion Funding Until Plan Is Presented
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Budget Panel Rejects Prison Expansion Funding Until Plan Is Presented

By Bente Birkeland | The Colorado Sun In a 4-2 vote, the Democrats on the JBC voted in a bloc to deny the dollars, complaining that the DOC lacked a plan to address the state’s growing prison population. Democratic members of the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee denied a request Wednesday from the Colorado Department of Corrections for money to pay for additional prison beds.  In a 4-2 vote, the Democrats on the JBC voted in a bloc to deny the dollars, complaining that the DOC lacked a plan to address the state’s growing prison population, despite repeated requests for Gov. Jared Polis’ administration to do so. The two Republicans on the panel voted to approve the ask. “The frustration is that we are just at this point where it’s been repeated asks, y...
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New Colorado Nonprofit Targets Judges and DAs Accused of Being Soft on Crime
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Complete Colorado, Approved, State

New Colorado Nonprofit Targets Judges and DAs Accused of Being Soft on Crime

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado DENVER — Two elected officials representing a hefty swath of the Front Range are teaming up with a Colorado radio host because they say they have had enough of rogue judges releasing violent criminals onto the streets, only to repeat offend. Their desire to change that trajectory led them to form a new non-profit educational group aimed at shining a light on those they believe need to move on from the bench. Conservative talk show host Jeff Hunt, State Rep. Dan Woog (R-Frederick), and 4th Congressional District CU Regent Frank McNulty (R-Highlands Ranch), have joined forces to form Law and Order Action, which they say is “dedicated to holding pro-crime judges, district attorneys and lawmakers accountable.” Woog’s legislat...
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Widow of Fallen Officer Urges Colorado to Close Loopholes in Competency Law
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kdvr.com, Approved, State

Widow of Fallen Officer Urges Colorado to Close Loopholes in Competency Law

By: Vicente Arenas | KDVR FOX31 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — A Colorado woman is making an urgent appeal to the governor and legislators to change competency laws she says are putting people in danger. Rachel Swayse’s husband was the police officer who was killed in the Planned Parenthood clinic shooting on Nov. 27, 2015, in Colorado Springs. The accused shooter, Robert Dear, has been found incompetent to stand trial. University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Police Officer Garret Swasey was killed in the mass shooting. Officer Swasey’s wife, Rachel, is concerned that Dear and others in similar circumstances could go free under Colorado’s competency laws. “This has been a lingering concern of mine for years. We were told that the trial process could take years, and our...
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Colorado Parental Rights Group Pushes to Repeal Controversial Competency Law
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Parental Rights Group Pushes to Repeal Controversial Competency Law

By Marissa Ventrulli | Colorado Politics A group of parental rights advocates and Republican lawmakers is urging the Colorado legislature to repeal a 2024 law that made changes to the state’s competency procedures. Established over the summer, the group called “We The Parents” includes members of the Colorado Parental Advocacy Network and legislators from the more conservative wing of the Republican Party: Reps. Brandi Bradley of Littleton, Stephanie Luck of Penrose, and Ken DeGraaf of Colorado Springs. On its website, the organization describes itself as a group of parents and community leaders “who are done watching politicians ignore the voices of families.” “We’ve watched lawmakers strip away parental rights behind closed doors,” the group’s website says. “That ends now. We...
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Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses

By Mike O’Donnell | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website highlights that there were 95,564 fewer reported motor vehicle thefts across the United States in calendar year 2024 than there were in 2008, a decrease of around 10%. But not in Colorado where, due to policy choices by politicians and the court system, the number of motor vehicle thefts increased by 131%. The Colorado Crime Statistics website shows that the number of reported motor vehicle thefts in the state increased from 11,004 in 2008 to 25,424 in 2024. And 2024 was a much better year for Coloradans than in 2020 when 28,246 vehicles were stolen. It was also better than in 2021 when there were 37,249 thefts; 2022 saw a record 41,390 vehicles stolen (113 per day), and 2023 when t...
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Data Shows Fewer Repeat Offenders Yet More Violent Crime in Colorado
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Data Shows Fewer Repeat Offenders Yet More Violent Crime in Colorado

By Marissa Ventrelli | The Denver Gazette Colorado’s latest justice data reveals an apparent contradiction: while fewer offenders are returning to prison, violent crime is climbing across the state. A detailed analysis released this month shows Colorado’s recidivism rate has fallen sharply—among the steepest declines nationwide. Yet the same dataset shows that violent offenses, including assault and homicide, have steadily increased since 2013. Analysts point to bail reforms, reduced arrests, and shifting sentencing priorities as major contributors. Supporters of these policies say they prevent unnecessary incarceration, while critics contend they have weakened accountability and deterrence. The findings come as Colorado lawmakers continue to debate whether recent justice refor...
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What the real crime stats show: America’s violence surge is no illusion
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Real Clear Politics, Approved, National

What the real crime stats show: America’s violence surge is no illusion

By John R. Lott Jr. | Real Clear Politics During last year’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, Trump said violent crime was rising. ABC moderator David Muir immediately fact-checked him, claiming, “President Trump, as you know, the FBI says overall violent crime is coming down in this country…” Nearly every major media outlet echoed that narrative. National Public Radio ran the headline, “Violent crime is dropping fast in the U.S. – even if Americans don’t believe it.” The Wall Street Journal declared, “Violent Crime Rate Falls Sharply After Pandemic Surge.” Vox insisted, “Violent crime is plummeting.” Axios reported, “New data shows violent crime dropping sharply in major U.S. cities.” However, a new Bureau of Just...
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Colorado Officials Admit “Unacceptable” Error That Freed Parolee Before Deadly Chase
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CBS News, Approved, State

Colorado Officials Admit “Unacceptable” Error That Freed Parolee Before Deadly Chase

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado The Colorado Department of Corrections says a mistake made by their department allowed a man who violated parole to walk free. That ultimately is what led to Tuesday's chase involving law enforcement and head-on crash which resulted in the death of an innocent person. The double fatal crash happened on Highway 6 in Clear Creek County. Steven Ainsworth, 51, died when his car got knocked into Clear Creek by the car Christopher Moore, 29, was driving. Both men died and a woman in the car with Moore was hurt. CDOC officials now say Moore, who had a lengthy criminal record, should have been behind bars. Most recently, in 2022, he was sentenced to prison in criminal cases from Summit County and Eagle County. On June 9, he was released on parole. ...
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Colorado Families Demand Action as Incompetency Rulings Free Violent Suspects
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kdvr.com, Approved, State

Colorado Families Demand Action as Incompetency Rulings Free Violent Suspects

By Alliyah Sims | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — Loved ones lost, cases dismissed and dangerous criminals walking free. Families and lawmakers across the state are demanding immediate change to a 2024 law they say is putting lives at risk. People gathered outside the Colorado Supreme Court, coming with broken hearts and a clear message. “To speak loudly and loudly against these competency laws that really just seek to prioritize the rights of a perpetrator over the victims,” said Lori Gimelshteyn, executive director of the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network. Backed by 6,000 petition signatures, speakers on Thursday demanded that district attorneys take a stand and lawmakers rewrite laws petitioners say are letting violent offenders walk free. “In 2024, I actually voted for this bi...
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Gov. Polis Faces Lawsuit Alleging Forced Labor Continues in State Prisons
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DENVER7, Approved, State

Gov. Polis Faces Lawsuit Alleging Forced Labor Continues in State Prisons

By Allie Jennejahn | Denver7 Does slavery still exist in Colorado? That's the question a class action lawsuit heading to trial Tuesday is looking to answer. DENVER — Does slavery still exist in Colorado? That's the question a class action lawsuit heading to trial Tuesday is looking to answer. It's against Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC), and it's focused specifically on forced labor in prisons. It goes back to the 13th Amendment which has a clause that states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States." That clause has previously allowed forced labor in prisons, but in 2018, Colorado voters amended the state's constit...
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