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Colorado’s “Reform Paradox”: Falling Recidivism, Rising Violence, and the Real-World Cost of Dangerous Releases
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s “Reform Paradox”: Falling Recidivism, Rising Violence, and the Real-World Cost of Dangerous Releases

By Shaina Cole | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The Common Sense Institute’s October report shows Colorado’s three-year recidivism rate falling from about 52 percent in 2019 to near 31 percent in 2022. On paper that looks like improvement. In practice, the number tells only a small piece of the story.  CSI makes it clear that the number drops mostly because fewer people are going to prison at all. The state’s incarcerated population has shrunk, felony filings are down, and more defendants are getting funneled into diversion programs or handed PR bonds under Colorado’s evolving bail practices. When the state isn’t locking people up, fewer people return to prison later. That’s not a public-safety miracle. It’s just the math. Ask people who actually live here whether things...
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Salida Police Hunt Suspects Tied to Violent Home Invasion and Venezuelan Gang Activity
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Salida Police Hunt Suspects Tied to Violent Home Invasion and Venezuelan Gang Activity

By: Jeff Anastasio | Denver7 Salida police investigating a home invasion by suspects with alleged ties to a Venezuelan gang have connected the incident to an earlier assault in Buena Vista. Three suspects remain at large. SALIDA, Colo. – Police in Salida investigating a home invasion in which the victims were held at gunpoint against their will by suspects with alleged ties to a Venezuelan gang have connected the incident to an earlier assault in Buena Vista. According to the Salida Police Department, in the early morning hours of November 2, “multiple armed individuals” assaulted the two victims for around 20 minutes after forcing their way into the house before fleeing to the Denver Metro area. During the initial investigation, Salida police connected the home invasion susp...
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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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Public safety crisis? Colorado ranks 7th worst for violent crime per capita
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Fox31, Approved, State

Public safety crisis? Colorado ranks 7th worst for violent crime per capita

By Brooke Williams | FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado has once again been ranked as one of the least safe states in the nation, according to a recent WalletHub data report. The personal finance website conducted the study using data for each state, focusing on data points that indicate how safe an area is, such as the frequency of violent events like shootings, how many drivers are insured, hate crime incidents and bullying, unemployment rates, how many first responders and law enforcement are available and others data points. The Safest States in America in 2025, according to the study, are Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Utah. The least safe states were found to be Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Arkansas. This year, Colorado ranked at No. 44, ...
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Grieving Dad Tells Congress Why America Must Stop Releasing Repeat Offenders
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The Daily Signal, Approved, Commentary, National

Grieving Dad Tells Congress Why America Must Stop Releasing Repeat Offenders

By Jarrett Stepman | Commentary, The Daily Signal “I will fight until my last breath for my daughter. You need to fight for the rest of our children, the rest of the innocents, and stop protecting the people that keep taking them from us, please.” Those were the words of Stephen Federico, the father of a 22-year-old woman who was allegedly killed by a man who had faced 40 criminal charges in the years before her murder. He gave his impassioned testimony about the need for keeping more criminals behind bars at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday. Federico’s heartbreaking testimony vividly highlighted one of the clearest reasons America’s Democrat-run cities face a serious crime problem: repeat offenders end up back out on the streets after being given countless chances by...
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Douglas County outrage grows after judge hands out probation in violent crime case
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DENVER7, Approved, State

Douglas County outrage grows after judge hands out probation in violent crime case

By: Allie Jennerjahn | Denver7 District Attorney for the 23rd Judicial District and stalking victim "outraged" over judge's decision to only sentence stalker to probation CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A Douglas County judge is under fire for two separate probation decisions she’s made in just one week. District Attorney for the 23rd Judicial District George Brauchler told Denver7 he’s “outraged” by the ruling, but he never specifically said who the judge was. “I don’t think judges exist in this jurisdiction to do what the DA says. That doesn’t make sense. I don’t think that [ruling] protects defendants appropriately either,” Brauchler said. “My respect for the bench doesn’t mean that I like all of their decisions, and in this particular case, I think this one is too risky for the p...
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State Leaders Put Criminal Rights Ahead of Public Safety
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The Gazette, Approved, Commentary, State

State Leaders Put Criminal Rights Ahead of Public Safety

By The Gazette Editorial Board | Commentary, The Gazette Only days ago, The Gazette editorial board weighed in on how easy it is for dangerous criminal suspects with lengthy records in Colorado to walk free — and never come back — as they supposedly await trial or other court proceedings. That includes when they are deemed “incompetent” to understand the charges against them — usually, due to presumed mental illness — and at times are released pending psychiatric assessment and treatment to restore their competency. Even under those circumstances, suspects can wind up going free for good, either because they fail to follow through on outpatient psychiatric care and disappear onto the streets, or, incredibly, they have been found permanently incompetent — and by state law, the char...
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Trump to Memphis: National Guard coming to restore safety
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Fox News, Approved, National

Trump to Memphis: National Guard coming to restore safety

By Rachel Wolf | Fox News Trump chooses Memphis, Tennessee, for next National Guard deployment President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he would be deploying the National Guard to Memphis, Tenn., next as he continues his anti-crime initiative.  The president made the announcement during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," adding that the deployment would not be limited to the National Guard and could include the Army if needed. "Memphis is deeply troubled," Trump said. "We're gonna fix that just like we did Washington." Trump admitted that he would have "preferred going to Chicago." The Trump administration has recently clashed with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson over possible National Guard deployment to the Win...
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Full video shows attack on elderly pro‑lifers outside Planned Parenthood
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Daily Wire, Approved, National

Full video shows attack on elderly pro‑lifers outside Planned Parenthood

By Leif Le Manieu | Daily Wire The man who avoided jail time after brutally beating two elderly pro-life advocates in Baltimore accused them of bothering “vulnerable people” seconds before attacking them, according to surveillance footage obtained by The Daily Wire. Patrick Brice, 28, was sentenced by Baltimore Judge Yvette Bryant on Thursday to just one year of home confinement and three years of probation for attacking 73-year-old Mark Crosby and 84-year-old Richard Schaefer as they stood outside Planned Parenthood doing pro-life sidewalk counseling. Crosby was left with serious injuries to his face and multiple fractures. Before attacking the elderly men, Brice engaged in a heated argument with Schaefer where he told him to “quit bothering vulnerable people.” He then ...
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