In its latest legislative session, Colorado enacts a range of sweeping reforms.
By K. Craig Welkener|Published Date: July 16, 2010
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Great news from Colorado! In the 2010 legislative session, which concluded in May, a bipartisan coalition succeeded in passing a wide range of corrections reforms. Emerging from years of collaboration, research, and serious thought, the reforms were immediately hailed by reform advocates as a monumental step forward.
In 2007, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter created the Colorado Commission on Criminal Justice, to “enhance public safety, to ensure justice, and to ensure protection of the rights of victims through the cost-effective use of public resources.” The Commission proceeded to undertake a serious re-examination of the state’s criminal justice system.
During the 2010 legislative session, the Commission’s work was brought to satisfying fruition in a number of legislative reforms. On May 25th, Governor Ritter signed a package of bills which, in his own words, were both “tough on crime and smart on crime”. Various bills addressed issues ranging from re-entry facilitation to drug-sentencing reform, reforms which worked to solve problems, ease rehabilitation and ensure greater public safety.
For example, House Bill 1360 created community alternatives to prison for people committing technical, nonviolent parole violations. An extensive drug sentencing reform act reduced the penalty for drug use or possession in many cases from a felony to a misdemeanor, reducing the overcriminalization of minor violations. House Bill 1338 created more judicial discretion in sentencing, allowing for the possibility of probation for certain nonviolent offenders.
Though Colorado’s sweeping reforms have only recently been enacted, they are based on proven, successful strategies. As these changes begin to impact the corrections system, reform advocates look forward to to seeing a safer society, more ex-prisoners leading healthy lives, and a state enjoying the benefits of a more restorative justice paradigm. Hopefully other states will see the wisdom in Colorado’s course. |
