Tag: Criminal Justice Reform
-
Felony status for indecent exposure in front of children passes Colorado legislature
Indecent exposure is the only child sex crime in Colorado classified as a misdemeanor, instead of a felony. But that will soon change if Gov. Jared Polis signs a new bill into law. House Bill 1135 would make it a felony crime if a person over the age of 18 exposes or touches their genitals for…
-
Restrictions on no-knock search warrants pass Colorado legislature
—
by
Three years ago, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot in her Kentucky apartment by police executing a no-knock warrant for her ex-boyfriend. Taylor’s death inspired national outrage and debate on the use of search warrants that allow police to forcibly enter people’s homes without warning. Colorado lawmakers are now tackling the issue with Senate Bill 254. If made…
-
Colorado reduces prison sentences for inmates pursuing higher education
—
by
Colorado has among the worst recidivism rates in the country, with more than 50% of people released from prison ending up back behind bars within three years. Now, the state is taking a new approach to address the issue by incentivizing prisoners to pursue higher education. House Bill 1037 reduces prison sentences for non-violent offenders who complete higher…
-
Colorado lawmakers target indecent exposure in front of children
—
by
In January 2020, two Larimer County sisters ages 14 and 16 were sitting in a parking lot eating a snack after school when a strange man drove up to them. The man raised his pelvis to his window and exposed his genitals to the girls, masturbating in front of them. The man was immediately apprehended…
-
Colorado report explores gaps in services if children can’t be criminally charged until 13
—
by
A task force studying the gaps in services if policymakers raise the minimum age that Colorado children can be charged with crimes released its final report, recommending a slew of changes to mitigate potential impacts. The Pre-Adolescent Task Force was created by House Bill 22-1131, passed by the legislature in June. The bill originally sought…
-
Colorado lawmakers advance bill to prevent police from lying to minors during interrogations
—
by
Lorenzo Montoya spent more than 13 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. In 2000, when Montoya was 14 years old, he confessed to committing a murder after Denver police told him there were fingerprints, shoe prints and saliva at the crime scene proving his guilt. Montoya said the police told him he would go to…
-
Colorado House passes bill to reduce prison sentences for inmates pursuing higher education
An effort to incentivize Colorado prisoners to pursue higher education took a major step forward on Tuesday, receiving near-unanimous approval from the state House of Representatives. House Bill 1037 would deduct six months from an inmate’s prison sentence for earning a certificate while incarcerated, one year for an associate or bachelor’s degree, 18 months for a master’s degree…
-
Bills advance to prevent police lying to minors, expand DNA testing, limit prison restraints
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The House Judiciary Committee advanced a series of bills Tuesday that seek to prevent police from lying to minors, expand post-conviction DNA testing and limit the use of restraints in prisons. If passed by the full state legislature, House Bill 1042 would make any statements…
-
Colorado rolls out emergency alert system for missing Indigenous people
A new emergency alert system that focuses on missing Indigenous people in Colorado is scheduled to go live on Friday. The Missing Indigenous Person Alert was created by the state legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 150 in May, which also established the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to facilitate these investigations. The…
-
Alamosa City Council approves to pay for recall of controversial San Luis Valley District Attorney
After listening to an hour of public comment regarding their controversial district attorney, including testimony from the police chief and city manager, the Alamosa City Council voted 4-1 to use taxpayer dollars in an effort to recall him. Alonzo Payne took office in 2021 and has three years left on his term; but a recall…