Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Friday, August 03, 2007

No One Wants To Build CSP II

It is a sad commentary when we have a 65% recidivism rate. We don't need another Supermax in this state. What we need is a place where the vast majority of people who are returning to the streets can be sure to have the skills and the resources necessary to reintegrate successfully.

WORK IS expected to begin this fall on the Colorado Department of Corrections’ new Supermax II in Fremont County.

Incredibly, no general contractors, in-state or out-, bid on the $100 million project. So the DOC will act as the general contractor with the assistance of a program management firm, Jacobs Engineering Group.

The 948-bed administrative segregation prison will be built just east of the current Colorado State Penitentiary and south of Centennial Correctional Facility. DOC Executive Director Ari Zavaras notes that DOC handled portions of the current state Supermax.

The DOC will solicit bid packages correlating to the various trades from subcontractors. Mr. Zavaras says any and all subcontractors are welcome to bid, and he expects many of them will be Colorado-based firms.

The project underwent a two-year delay when the state was sued by a group of private citizens challenging the legality of the funding method approved by the Legislature. After all the litigation was completed, a federal district judge ruled that Certificates of Participation, or COPs, are legal.


Pueblo Chieftain

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Re-Entry Programs would assist in lowering the recidivism rate, but the majority of State's are unwilling to do more than build new jails.

Hopefully the Second Chance Act will be approved and then someone will address what really needs to happen for releasing inmates.

If they 'get out' no better prepared for a law abiding life than they were when they were incarcerated what will change?

They need job skills, education and life skills training... if they are ever going to be able to support themselves and their families and stay out of jail. If all they know is the streets and crime.... what can we expect?

We and our families will eventually pay the bills... either as victims of their crimes or as taxpayers in general.

Duh!

Anonymous said...

DRUG REHAB not new prisons!!
I stood outside CSP today and held up a protest sign. More Colorado people need to get involved in stopping this stupid project. I also stood outside Territorial, the oldest prison in Colorado, and the only one just 60 years ago, and held up a protest sign. I will be standing in front of the State Capitol and the legislature and will demand an accounting from them. If they do not stop this project, they should be recalled. Drug Rehab was promised, but we get more prisons. I have personal knowledge that Certificates of Participation will drive your grandchildren into debt. This has to be a prison industry conspiracy.